The Slytherin
by annasfanfic
Summary: Harry was abused, then he met Rusé and his world was turned upside down. Very Cracked with lots of surprises, especially for a certain cousin.
1. Rusé

**Hey guys, my first fic. I've been sitting on this for awhile. Warning, this will be a lot different from canon, as Harry is a much different person, along with a HUGE difference in a previously minor character. Also I read a LOT of fanfic and can't help but assimilate that into my personal headcanon, so if you see anything you recognize I'm not trying to steal it, point it out to me and I'll give credit where credit is due, but I've read so much fanfiction (to give you an idea, I've been reading fanfiction since I was like eleven and I'm eighteen right now) so it's impossible for me to remember them all and whether or not my story ideas are 100% mine or not. I will say its probably got quite a bit of inspiration from Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality along with Moratorium by DarkPetal16, the second of which I just finished reading when I started this fanfic. If you haven't read either of those I suggest you do now.**

 **Also, yeah Harry Potter's not mine, no matter how much I want him to be.**

 **I'm not sure about any pairings right now, after all Harry's only eleven. Also the Dursley's are a bit more abusive than in canon (you'll see a small bit of inspiration from DarkPetal16 there).**

 **Also anything in Parseltongue is going to be in quotes like everything else, since Harry hears it as English and this is pretty much entirely from his viewpoint. It should be fairly obvious what's Parseltongue and what's not anyways.**

 **Lastly, this has obviously not been betaed so if you see any mistakes feel free to point them out. Also, reviews are welcome, along with any ideas, its very possible that I'll end up incorporating them into the story. Enjoy!**

Harry sat calmly in his closet, trying to be as quiet as possible, while listening to his Aunt and Uncle as they entertained their guests. Harry had cooked a seven course meal for a total of fifteen people, two of those people being his very large Uncle and his pig of a cousin. And he had done it all with hardly any help from his Aunt, who had spent most of her time cleaning and gardening, and no help from anyone else. And he got none of it, unless they didn't finish it all. It just wasn't fair and he knew it. And yet he saw no way around it, fighting it helped in no way, his scars were proof of that.

So what to do? He really didn't know much, he was after all only eight. He decided that right there was the problem, he didn't know much, so what else was there to do, aside from learn more. He'd never been a great student, but he would try harder now, knowing it could possibly make his situation better. So, as all fifteen people outside his small closet ate away at the food he'd cooked them, he scooted closer to the door, so that he could see better, pulled his school books (which rested on the shelf above his head) close to him, and began to read them.

(^o^)

He landed heavily onto the still slippery tile floor, "What's your problem boy!? Cheating and making our Dudders look stupid!?" His Aunt spoke up now, "Probably stole our Dudders homework and wrote his own name on it!" His Uncle nodded, "Of course he did! Stupid boy! As if we wouldn't notice that! As if you, a FREAK, an IDIOT, a MONSTER, could ever take credit for our Dudders work!" Harry couldn't help but shake his head, he'd worked so hard for those grades, and they were his and his alone!

Seeing this his Uncle grabbed his hair with a growl and shoved his head into the soapy water in the mop bucket nearby. Harry knew, logically, that it was stupid to fight, but he couldn't help it, he couldn't breath and it hurt so much, it stung his eyes and everytime he tried to breath he just swallowed the soapy water that burned all the way down his throat. After less than a minute he began to gag and the soapy water filled with his bile, as he'd had nothing to eat all day. His head began to get dizzy and he stopped being able to fight. It was only then, after over a minute, that his Uncle let go of him and allowed him to remove his head from the water, for which he was rewarded with a swift kick to the stomach, and he heard a few ribs crack.

"Finish your chores boy, and if we ever catch you stealing Dudder's work again we'll skin you!" If they thought that would in any way impede his learning they were wrong, it simply impeded his grades. From that point on he only ever did half of his assignments, though he made sure to get the answers right on those. He also was more motivated to learn and somehow make things right between him and his Aunt and Uncle. How he still wasn't sure, but he would do so.

(-)

Harry was kicked, quite literally from the house, into the backyard to resume his chores. He moved slowly, hoping they wouldn't notice. He couldn't help it, he'd just been whipped, simply because his Uncle had a bad day at work and he was the house freak.

As he set about weeding he started to clear his mind, pushing the pain to the back of it by reciting the elements of the periodic table. "1 Hydrogen, 2 Helium, 3 Lithium, 4 Beryllium, 5 Boron, 6-" Suddenly he heard a soft voice, "Come here little mousssy, I won't harm you, I promissse." Harry looked around but saw no one. He decided to return back to work, "6 Carbon, 7 N-" Harry was once more interrupted by the soft voice, "Come here little girl, it'sss ok. I promissse." Harry glanced around once more, but finding no one he looked at the garden, maybe a hidden speaker of some kind?

As he looked he found a small snake and a mouse that was looking between a small hole in the wall, that would no doubt mean freedom, and the snake. "Yesss, that'sss a good little mousssy." The mouse glanced one more time at the hole then began to move uncertainly towards the snake. Harry watched in morbid fascination as the snake quickly attacked the mouse when it got close enough, then swallowed it whole.

"Wicked," Harry whispered. The snake turned quickly and saw him, "What are you looking at?" Harry jumped in surprise, "Oh! Sssorry! I thought a heard a voice, well I guessss it was yoursss." The snake nodded, "Enjoy the ssshow little one?" Harry nodded, "But it'sss even more cool that you can talk!" "I would dare sssay the sssame to you."

Harry furrowed his brow, "What do you mean, of course I can talk! I'm a freak but not that big of one!" The snake shook its head, "On the contrary, few can ssspeak in the sssnake tongue." Harry blinked again, "Ssso we're speaking a different language?" The snake did a movement that seemed to mimic a shrug, "To you, perhapsss. Thisss isss my natural tongue."

Harry smiled wide, this was awesome! Then something occurred to him, "Well, sssorry for bothering you, I'll let you go, I've got to get back to gardening anywaysss." The snake simply nodded and allowed Harry to begin gardening again, however it didn't leave. It seemed the snake was as fascinated with Harry as Harry was with it, and asked him many questions.

For some reason, when the snake, who Harry discovered was name Rusé, asked about Harry's family, and Harry told her, she got mad. "The outrage! Treating a little one with such evilnessss! How ssshameful!" Harry blinked, "I don't like it, but I am a freak so all I can do is study and learn and make it a little bit more fair." Rusé bristled, "How awful. I ssshall help you asss bessst I can."

Harry stared quizzically, "How could you do that? No offence, but you're a sssnake, humansss ssshriek at you sssure, but that won't help in the long run, and honessstly how much more could you help?" Rusé though, "I'm not sssure, but I ssshall find a way!" Harry nodded placatingly, knowing that unless there was some miracle she could do little.

(X X)

( U )

Harry allowed the his family to try to abandon him this time, as they went shopping. He'd find them later, knowing that Rusé, who was hiding in the coat he'd been permitted to wear only because he pointed out that it'd be odd for a child not to wear a coat in winter, could smell them.

He fidgeted nervously by the wall while Rusé peaked excitedly from his pocket. "You ssshould do it sssoon, Harry, they won't be here forever. Harry nodded and took a deep breath, then walked into the nearest women's clothing store and sat near the changing rooms. Most women barely spared him a glance, assuming he was waiting for his mom, and left their carts, most with their purses still in them, outside their stalls.

While no one was around Harry dug through as many of the coats and purses as he could, stealing as many wallets he could get his hands on. Finally, after several minutes, and when he heard a woman opening her door, he stuffed them into his oversized pockets (thanking for once that Dudley was so much bigger than him), and ran to the nearest bathroom. He sat in a stall and waited for the bathroom to empty entirely before going through the wallets.

He found a lot of cash, but more than cash he found hundreds of the cards that his Aunt used to buy groceries with. He thought back to the eye glass store he'd seen. The cash wouldn't been enough to get him a check up, let alone a new set of lens. He decided to use a card, though he really didn't want to. He stuffed several cards and all the cash and coins into his pockets, apologising to Rusé if he had hurt her, and left the wallets on the floor. Someone would find them and turn them into lost and found he was sure.

Harry nervously walked into the eye store, "Hi. My mom wanted me to come and get my eyes checked." The woman behind the desk smiled, "Do you have an appointment?" He shook his head, "I don't think so." "Well let me check, what's the name." "Haver-Havershire." Harry tried to pronounce the name on the card the best he could.

The woman smiled at him, then turned to her computer and he could hear her large nails clacking away at it. "Hmm, nope, I don't see ya, what time do you want them checked?" "Umm, is now okay?" "Hmm, well...Let's see, Dr. Wendell just got back from lunch lets see if he'll be able to squeeze you in." And she disappeared into a door behind the desk. Harry fidgeted nervously as he waited, but she didn't take long. "Right, he'll take you in now. Firstly, do you have your mom's insurance card?"

Harry shook his head, "We don't have insurance." "Hmm, ok, that'll make it more, do you have enough?" Harry nodded and passed her 'his mom's' card. She chuckled a little, typed some things, then asked for his name, he told her it was Dudley, she typed some more, then slid the card and passed it back to him. "Alright, lets go."

The check up didn't take very long and the doctor gave him a prescription for his lens, and reassured him they could use his current frames, since Harry's 'mom' couldn't afford a new pair.

It took them nearly half an hour to make his lens and fit them into his frames, but when they were done Harry was delighted to see that he could, well see! Rusé chuckled as Harry walked towards the food court to find his family, "I told you, little one, it would be much better with me around." Harry nodded happily as he took in all the sights he'd walked past before, since it was all a blur unless he'd focused really hard, "Yesss." "And you didn't really need me here little one." Harry stopped short, "Yesss I did! I wasss ssso ssscared, I wasss only able to do this becaussse you were here!" Harry started to freak out a bit, but Rusé nudged him, "Alright little one, calm down, let'sss go find your family. They're Ssstill eating thossse meat sssacksss."

The meat sacks in question were the burritos that Harry found them eating, when he got there. They all looked mildly disappointed when they saw him, and only his Uncle grunted, "Where you been boy? Not causing trouble?" Harry shook his head, "I went into the book store." "Why?" Dudley asked dully. Harry just shrugged and no one pressed him on it. Afterall he was just a freak.

(X_X)

Harry ran as fast as he could, trying as hard as he could to get away from Dudley. Dudley was getting closer and closer and Harry felt like crying, this would be awful, now his new glasses would be ruined. As he pushed his legs to run harder, he suddenly felt the ground change and he glanced down, then slid to a stop to stop himself from falling off the roof. He blinked, glancing around himself.

How on earth had he gotten up here? He glanced down and saw Dudley glaring at him from below, then felt the roof begin to cave in at the edge and he scrambled away from it and ran to the other side of the building, where he thankfully found a door propped open, that he was able to slide through, then he ran to the library to hide out there for the rest of the day, passing the librarian a faked note that said he could be there. He'd gotten quite good at them, and the teacher didn't really like him so she didn't care too much, so long as he turned in all his work.

(U.U)

Harry retrieved the mail and flipped through it to discard the junk mail, as he'd been taught, and slid it into the trash as he walked into the kitchen. He passed the mail to his Uncle, then went back to the stove and resumed cooking. Harry did all the cooking in the house now, with few to no exceptions. This had left more time for his Aunt, who had decided to start a garden of fruits and vegetables two years ago, to be a trendsetter. Naturally Harry did most of the work, but that suited him just fine, as it gave him plenty of time with Rusé.

Rusé had all but taken him under her wing, though he suspected that was only due to her not having wings. She had helped him find reasons as to why he should be able to do things, like say go on a field trip ("But if I don't go then everyone will wonder why. I'd be the only one and everyone would think us weird, or worse, poor.") to ways to sneak away plenty of food to eat. Harry, it turns out had been right, knowledge had been the way to make things fair, he'd just been going about it at the wrong angle.

When he'd shared this view with Rusé she'd shaken her head at him. Knowledge, she'd said, in any form was useful in the human world, if one could learn how to use it. How she knew this he had no clue, but she hadn't steered him wrong, and so he'd allowed her to convince him to study more often, about anything he could. And he really did like it, learning. When he applied himself he was really smart, maybe he'd be someone really important one day, if he worked hard enough. Rusé assured him he would be.

Harry served them breakfast, sneaking his food into the potted plant by the door, and began to head outside to begin his Saturday chores. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, "Go get that boy!" His Uncle grunted at him. He simply nodded his head and slid the back door closed, then headed to the front door. When he pulled open the door he stared quizzically at the woman. She wore the oddest outfit he'd ever seen, a stiff black dress that was covered completely with red and yellow frills and looked more suited for his history textbook than a common neighborhood. And her hat . . . There was a cat on it. A black cat with red eyes, on top of a red and yellow hat.

The woman smiled at him, "Good morning, you must be Harry." Harry nodded mutely. "Lovely to meet you Harry. I'm Professor McGonagall, are your Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin available?" Harry blinked, he doubted so for someone dressed so . . . eccentrically? He wasn't sure that was the right word, but nevertheless he knew his Aunt and Uncle wouldn't like speaking to her, though they might have to, with her being a Professor. "Uh, hold on." She nodded, "Take your time."

Harry closed the door and walked back to the dining room, "It was a Professor, she wanted to talk to you about Dudley." Harry could only assume that's what it was about, since she'd asked to speak to them. That's all it could be about. Probably door to door recruiting for a new nearby school, now that he thought about it. His Aunt and Uncle though, looked excited, "Probably the representative from Smeltings wanting to accept our Dudders into the school personally! Top of his class our Dudders!" Yes, because I do his work, thought Harry bitterly. His Uncle nodded excitedly, "Of course! Let her in idiot boy! Put her in the sitting room while we freshen up!"

Harry obliged and offered her tea, as he was supposed to with strangers. She smiled, "That would be lovely, Harry." Harry nodded, a bit confused as to why she knew his name. After several minutes he brought tea and biscuits into the sitting room. He went to go, when his Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin all barrelled into the room excitedly, shoving him further into the room as they did so. Harry made to go again, but the Professor turned to him, "No, you may listen in Harry, please sit." Harry blinked but did so by sitting on the corner of the fireplace, his customary place, if he sat in there at all.

"Well, it's nice to see you three so eager about this, I honestly hadn't expected it."

His Aunt shook her head vigorously, "Oh no, we're all about education in this house." The professor smiled, "That's truly good to hear. Now, as I'm sure you've noticed, it's not just Harry that has magical talents, but Dudley as well-"

Suddenly his Uncle screamed as his Aunt paled, "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY ABOUT DUDLEY!?" The professor seemed taken aback, "You're excited about Harry going to Hogwarts but not-" His Aunt screeched and covered Dudley's ears while Harry looked around confused. What on earth was happening. Meanwhile his Uncle was screaming obscenities. The Professor listen for a time, trying to get a word in here or there, but failing.

Finally, seeing no other option, she pulled out a long stick and his Uncle was silenced and seemed to fall into the chair. Dudley screamed as Harry heard the Professor mutter, "This is more what I expected."

"Right, so there's nothing to be done for it. Both Harry and Dudley are wizards-" Harry decided it was time to interject, "Wait, what? Wizards aren't real! Magic isn't real!" Harry had had that one ground into his head often enough. Sure his Uncle was uncharacteristically quiet and still, but that didn't mean he was under a spell. Maybe he'd just had a heart attack.

However the Professor simply sighed sadly and turned her teacup into a small yipping dog, then a slightly larger pig, then an even larger cat who decided to leap away as the professor transformed it back to a cup and calmly caught it before it could spill any tea. Harry stared, "So- so I can do that? I can do magic?" Harry stared wondering what this could mean.

As he contemplated this his Aunt shakily pulled away from her son and husband, "N-now listen, that boys a freak just like you, no doubt about it, but- but I don't know what you're trying to pull saying that my beautiful Dudders is too!" The Professor shook her head, "There is no doubt, his name is on the list and that means he's a wizard, plain and simple."

Harry sighed angrily, of course Dudley had to be one too. Of course he did, it was only FAIR. The Professor straitened, "Now, I've got both the boys' letters, if you'd like I can take them shopping, or you may come with." His Aunt gulped, "Please release my husband so we can talk." The professor nodded obligingly and released him.

He gasped as if he couldn't breath, "GOD DAMN IT PETUNIA YOU ASSURED ME THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN!" His Aunt turned to Dudley, "Dudley, you and Harry go play in the garden while mummy and daddy talk."

The two rushed from the room. Harry didn't really know what else to, since he wasn't allowed to play ever, so he started his chores, hissing quietly with Rusé, while Dudley just sat in a garden chair and listened to his parents fight.

"I-I don't know what happened! I wasn-I'm not a witch!" "SURE! LIKE I'D BELIEVE THAT YOU MONSTER! YOU LIED TO ME! PROBABLY FOR MY MONEY! NOW WE NOT ONLY HAVE A MONSTER OF A NEPHEW BUT A SON TOO!" "Dud-Dudley's not a m-m-monster."

Harry zoned out the fight, "I'm a wizard Russsé." "Well of courssse you are young one. I could sssenssse your magic from the day you ssspoke to me firssst." Harry looked down at the snake, hurt, "Why didn't you tell me?" Rusé shrugged, "You weren't ready, and you could do nothing with the knowledge then, assside from get more confusssed. Now you have the meansss to do sssomething." Harry nodded, he supposed that made sense. "I wonder what happensss now. Oh and Dudley'sss one too." Rusé nodded, "Yesss of courssse, not nearly asss powerful. He'sss not sssmart enough." Harry snorted as he struggled with a weed, "Underssstatement of the year."

Suddenly Harry heard a wail, he quickly whirled around and saw Dudley crying heavily. Suddenly the fight came back to the forefront of his mind, "NO! NO! Vernon! Please, don't go!" The door slammed shut, no doubt shaking the wall.

After a few minutes the Professor called them back into the room, "Boys? We're ready for you." The two walked slowly into the sitting room. His Aunt was shaking heavily on the couch. "Dudders. I'm so sorry, I never meant for this to happen, truly. I ne-never thought that you could...And I just...I'm so sorry Dudders." Dudley heavily sat on the couch next to his mother, "It's ok mum."

The Professor sniffed, "There's nothing wrong with being a wizard. Now in the fall, on September 1st, you two will get on a train that will take you to the school Hogwarts. Before that you must get your school supplies, I will accompany you two, along with Petunia to Diagon Alley where we will get all your required school supplies. That will be next week on Saturday at 10am sharp, with the rest of the Muggleborns. Here are your letters."

Harry quickly grabbed his and read it through twice, then his heart sank, "Um Professor?" "Yes Harry?" "I've got a- a friend, a snake, who I wanted to come with me. Could she?" The Professor frowned slightly, thinking, while his Aunt and Cousin looked at him, confused. "Well we do make some exceptions to the rule, mainly to magical animals." "Oh well, she said that she sensed my magic from the moment we met! That was like three years ago!"

The Professor stiffened slightly, "May I meet this snake?" Harry nodded and rushed from the room.

"Russsé! The Professssor wantsss to meet you! Ssshe sssaysss you might be able to go to ssschool with me!" Rusé slithered up, "Really? How interesssting. Well, letsss go meet her." Harry picked her up carefully and walked back into the sitting room, "Professor this is Rusé." "Russsé, thisss isss the Professssor." The Professor looked startled, "Harry, you speak Parseltongue?" Harry nodded happily, "I didn't know that's what humans called it, but yeah."

The Professor frowned and nodded, pulling out her wand, "Let me speak to our Headmaster and see what can be done but first, may I see her?" Harry held her protectively, "No, you're not going to hurt her." Harry had recognized the look in her eyes to be very similar to the one his Uncle wore before he was about to be him. "No, no! It's just many dark wizards hide under the guise of snakes! I just want to make sure she's not here to hurt you!" Harry frowned, thinking it over. "What'sss wrong Harry?" "Ssshe sssaysss ssshe wantsss to check to make sssure you don't want to hurt me." "Then let her Harry. I'm not here to hurt you, and if ssshe triesss anything bad, I'll jussst bite her."

Harry nodded nervously and passed Rusé over. "Be careful," he pleaded, the Professor nodded and began to wave her wand, but nothing happened, aside from Rusé wiggling slightly and doing the snake version of giggling. "That felt funny." Harry smiled at the snake, then looked at the Professor, "So she's ok?" The Professor nodded, still frowning, then made her face neutral after she passed Rusé back. "She's clean, I shall talk to the Headmaster about her and let you know by Friday." Harry smiled widely, "Thanks!"

The Professor nodded, "Of course, now does anyone have any questions?" No one spoke up for a minute then Harry asked, "Where's Hogwarts? Is it a private school that we live at or will we have to take the train often, because that'll get expensive fast." The Professor smiled, "It's in Scotland, and you'll be living there." Harry nodded, "And how much do these things cost? I'll need to know how much to bring."

The Professor frowned. "Well here's a pamphlet on our currency and the cost of things, but... you won't need to worry about any of those things Harry, you've got a vault at Gringotts that will be more than ample to pay for your school supplies." Harry frowned, Gringotts was clearly the bank, but he had a vault? "Why do I have a vault?" "Well you're the heir to the Potter fortune of course!"

Harry blinked, "W-what? My parents were penniless, no good freaks, how could they have a fortune?" The Professor looked as if she was going to blow and she turned to look at his Aunt, "Penniless, no good, freaks!? How dare you Petunia!" His Aunt squeaked, "Well we couldn't let him going and getting a big head!"

The Professor took several calming breaths, "Now Harry, your parents were neither penniless or freaks, and they were certainly good. Your mother was the best spellcaster to enter Hogwarts' halls for over a century, and your father was not far behind, along with being from the esteemed Potter family, making him quite rich. In their time there was a very . . . horrible man, who was trying to take over the country. Your parents fought him valently, many times, and only stopped when you were born, to keep you safe. Unfortunately this man hated them and tracked them down. Your mother cast a powerful spell on you to protect you from him, but ended up dying, along with your father. That protection continues to this day, thanks to you living with your Aunt and Uncle."

Harry stared at her, trying to process everything he'd heard. "So...that man is still after me?" She shook her head, "When he went after you, your mother's protection spell caused his curse to rebound onto himself, he is dead. No the protection is from his followers, who it took many years to round up, and wanted to come after you, despite you being just a baby."

Harry sat in stunned silence until Rusé bumped him, "What'sss wrong, Harry?" "It'sss...Ssshe jussst told me a lot of ssstuff. I'll tell you later." Rusé nodded, "Okay, young one." The Professor smiled down at him kindly, "It's alot to take in I'm sure, but do you have any other questions?" Harry shook his head, trying to clear it, "So, I'll have to pay for Dudley and I?"

She shook her head, confused, "Absolutely not! No matter what they may say, they have no right to your money! You do not have to give them any unless you want to! Your Aunt and Uncle will have to pay for Dudley, just as your parents will be paying for you." Harry smiled, he liked the way that sounded, "Okay."

The Professor smiled, "So, Dudley do you have any questions?" He stared at her apprehensively, "Why me?" She looked at him disdainfully, "You've been given a gift young man, be grateful." "Now, have a good day, I will see you next Saturday." And with that she saw herself out, leaving the house in stunned silence.

(O-O)

The week dragged by slowly, with very little changing, aside from his Uncle not coming back all week, which meant less beatings for Harry, which suited Harry just fine. Dudley also didn't spend much time bullying, choosing instead to brag to his friends about how we got into an exclusive school in Ireland, nevermind that it was in Scotland, and he wasn't even pronouncing Ireland right. He complained about having to drag his lazy cousin with him, but mostly just bathed in the glory and awe his friends gave him for getting into an exclusive school. Harry tried to block it out but he couldn't help but wish that it'd only been him, that Dudley wasn't a wizard to, that for once the spotlight would only be on him.

Thankfully on Thursday an owl (Yes an owl! He couldn't believe it but sure enough an owl had shown up!) with the letter from the Professor, saying that they would be more than happy to accommodate the snake so long as he took care of it and took precautions to make sure it bit no one. Rusé bristled at the thought of such an act and Harry just laughed.

The three of them left on Friday to go to London and spent the night in cramped hotel room. Harry had slept in the tub in the bathroom, since Dudley had the bed and his Aunt had the couch. They walked to the meeting place, a dirty looking pub by the name of The Leaky Cauldron. There were several people gathered there, but they headed straight to where the Professor was standing. She greeted them, then crossed them off the list.

While they waited for the rest (just the Granger family from what it said on the list Harry had snuck a peek at), everyone chatted quietly, getting to know each other, aside from his Aunt and Dudley, who were huddled close to each other, and himself, who had never been good in social situations. Finally a rushed looking group of three ran, "Oh I'm so sorry Professor McGonagall! The traffic was horrible on the way here!" She smiled, "Not a problem, I completely understand, you're only five minutes late. Now if you'll please join the groups at the tables." They nodded and did so while the Professor crossed their names off, then slid her parchment into her robes.

As the Professor walked them through their lists, then game the various tidbit of information about the wizarding world that were common knowledge (such as using owls for their post, using the FLOO fireplace system, brooms, and apparition, which all sounded useless to Harry), his Aunt and Dudley refused to sit and instead remained huddled next to eachother. Harry however had chosen to sit several minutes before the Grangers had arrived, and so was sat right next to the girl that had come with them, who was scribbling everything the Professor was saying down in a notebook that already seemed to have notes in it somehow.

Finally the Professor took them to the bank, Gringotts, and Harry decided he'd try to make some friends. "Hi, I'm Harry." The girl glanced at him while she stood, "I'm Hermione. How do you do?" Harry shrugged, "As well as anyone else I suppose." Hermione nodded, brushing her bushy hair out of her face as the group headed towards the back of the pub. As they got closer Harry noticed people were confused and wondered why. Finally he saw the brick wall they were stopped at. The professor took her wand out and tapped the bricks in several places. They waited a few moments and the bricks slid out of place and revealed a heavily trafficked street, though it was only occupied by people. They followed her to a huge white marble building and walked through it. Inside were the strangest creatures he'd ever seen, goblins probably, from what the pamphlet had said. Instead of walking down the main hallway, where all goblins were seated at desks, the turned directly to the left into a hallway that Harry had not seen. He noticed it said Muggle Money Exchange above the entryway. The Professor talked to various people about getting their money ready, then pulled Harry to the side, "Harry, this is Griphook, he's going to be talking to you about your vault." Harry nodded and greeted the goblin who merely grunted at him. The Professor was called and she disappeared amongst the group, leaving Harry alone with Griphook. "So, I have a vault?" He asked as he followed the goblin. "Several, there are five vaults for the Potter family, two of which are in our last level, which is our most guarded level, there is also one vault the is yours alone. That is the vault we shall be accessing today." "Mine alone?" "Yes, it is a vault we opened in your name for your earnings for defeating the Dark Lord. You also have three properties in the Potter name." Harry blinked, that was odd... Nevertheless he filed the information away to look up at a later date. "So how much money do I have exactly?" Griphook stopped by a break in the counter, "Stay here." A few seconds later he appeared with a thick manila envelope, "This details all of your vaults." Harry opened it and began to read as he followed Griphook to a cart which he easily climbed into.

The first page detailed his own vault, which was started by the head goblin by the name of Prigston. It detailed each amount that was entered into it, all within a three week period. None had accessed it since, aside from the goblins to take out the small fee for the basic maintenance and upkeep of the vault, which happened once a year. This only decreased the amount minimally and right now, in that one vault he had 750,794 Galleons in his vault. He rounded that down and did some quick mental math. Holy smokes! He had over 2 millions pounds in that one vault! All from somehow defeating that guy when he was a baby! He stared at for several minutes, then moved onto the next page. It detail who started the vaults (A Novak Potter opened the first two of the Potter vaults, while transferring the other three vaults from somewhere, though it didn't say where), who had inherited the vaults, and who had had access to the vaults at what times. This went on for several pages, along with various significant increases or decreases that were made. Harry skimmed these and went to the last page of each vault, to see how much they contained. The first two vaults were the only ones with money in them, though that didn't decrease the amount by any. One vault contained almost 3 million galleons and the other contained almost 2 million. He didn't need to do any calculations to know that he was richer than the Dursleys.

The other three vaults contained items, a lot of items. They went on for several pages, detailing each item in each vault. Harry was reading through them when he felt water pour down onto him. He gasped and quickly moved the envelope towards his chest to protect it, but then realized he was not wet and looked around. He'd just gone through a waterfall, and yet he wasn't wet. "Griphook, what was that?" "Fools downfall, it makes anyone who's hiding behind an enchanment be revealed." "Oh, that's comforting." Griphook just nodded and Harry continued to read. "Hey Griphook?" "Yes, Mr. Potter?" "Do you know the contents of my vaults, it says here you're the one in charge of them." "Yes I do." "Right, well my cousin, and Aunt and Uncle probably, will try and steal my money. Can you make it so they don't have access to my vaults?" "They already don't, only you do." Harry nodded happily, "Ok, lets keep it that way. And... are there any like bags or things like that I can keep my gold in that they can't get into?" Griphook nodded, "A moleskin pouch is what you're looking for, you have several, of varying quality." "Right, can I get the best quality one there is today, while we're getting my gold." "Very well." Harry flipped past his vaults to the last few pages. They detailed his three properties. One was in Godric's Hollow, it seemed that was where he'd lived before whatever it was that had happened, happened. Another was called the Potter Estate, his parents had lived there for a brief time, before Godric's Hollow, along with a long list of people before them. The last was the Potter Villa, which was in Greece, it seemed no one had lived there consistently in almost a century. "Can I keep this Griphook?" The goblin nodded. "Is there anyway that I can be the only one who can read this?" "Of course, Mr. Potter, you are already the only one who can read it, or touch it for that matter. Anyone else would need your permission." "Good. Thanks, Griphook," The goblin nodded at Harry's smile.

Harry sat mulling things over until the cart stopped in front of a door, "We'll get your moleskine pouch first." Harry nodded as the goblin approached the door and ran his fingers over it. Several latches, wheels, and other parts turned and moved in odd ways, until suddenly the door was open. Harry wasn't sure how that worked, but he figured it had something to do with magic, so he didn't question it too much. They walked in and Harry gaped at the room. He'd seen the papers, sure, but the sheer amount of antiques in this room was mind blowing. Griphook disappeared amongst the furniture and Harry walked around. There were cases full of jewelry, what he knew to be thirty different couches, twelve desks, and four chests. One of them, he remembered, had an invisible extension charm on it. He looked for the dark oak chest with silver details on it (he had glanced at the paperwork to see which one it was), and found it quickly. He gently opened it and saw a staircase leading down. Griphook appeared suddenly and presented him with a furry pouch. "Thanks, can I look in here real quick Griphook?" Griphook only nodded and Harry hurriedly climbed in. Inside he was surprised to find all the books listed in the paperwork for this vault, right here, neatly organized in bookshelves. Sitting far from the stairs was a plush chair that looked more comfortable than anything he'd ever sat in before. He decided he needed this chest more than anything. He climbed out of the chest and closed the lid, "Griphook, can you put a spell or something on there so that I can be the only one to access it, and then send it to Hogwarts on the first day of term? I'll pay you whatever that costs, naturally." "Of course Mr. Potter." Harry then left and climbed back into the cart, "I'll come back and have a look around again, when I can." Griphook just nodded.

The cart moved backwards towards the way they'd come, but it didn't go far before it stopped in front of another door. This one Griphook slid a key into and the door opened in the strange way once more. This one was even more stunning, with only gold, silver, and bronze, the entire room shone. There were piles of it everywhere and it was hard for Harry to comprehend how much was there, despite knowing exactly how much was there, and knowing that he had two more vaults with even more in them. "Griphook, how much can my pouch hold?" "As much as you please, there is no weight or size limit, and you won't feel any of the weight. "Excellent." It cost about 270 Galleons for what he figured were low end stuff, but he wanted high quality stuff, so that Dudley couldn't break it. Also he wanted to rub it into their faces, that for once he was better. So he counted 400 Galleons and slid them into the bag. He was pleased to see that Griphook was right and it felt just the same as when there wasn't anything in it so he zipped it shut and slid the thing around his waist. He didn't care if it looked lame, he was rich and proud of it. He walked out with a smile and climbed back into the cart.

On the way back he remembered something his uncle had once said (and he'd confirmed with several books he'd read), when presented with a large sum of money, one always tries to grow it. "Griphook, what're some ways to grow money here?" Griphook looked surprised at the question, "Well, buying land and opening shops, or renting it out to shops. Or just investing in shops for a percentage back. There are quite a few options actually." "Are there any books about it? Written by Goblins of course." Griphook stared at him, "Why written by Goblins?" "Well, you guys control the money, so it makes sense that you would know the best ways to grow it." He stared at Harry for several seconds, "There is one book, however it did not sell well and as such is no longer in print. We may have a copy laying around somewhere." "Right, well if you can find the book I'll pay its value and a half." Some incentive, Harry thought, which was proved when Griphook's eyes lit up, "I will do my best Mr. Potter." "Thank you, Griphook." They were quite the rest of the ride back.

When Harry got back to the rest of the group they were nearly done exchanging the money out and the Professor was passing around maps of the Alley. "If you need me for anything have your child touch the symbol of the cat and say help, I will come as soon as possible. For any interested there will be a final Q&A in the Leaky Cauldron at 5pm." People went their separate ways, many families living together, though he noticed that his Aunt and cousin left by themselves. Hermione appeared before him, "Hey, want to shop with us?" "Sure." "Where are your parents?" "They er- couldn't make it." Her mother appeared behind her, "So you're here by yourself?" "Kind of..." Her father appeared as well, "Kind of?" He asked sharply. "Well, they died, a long time ago. I'm here with my Aunt and cousin, but they don't like me much, so they left without me." Her dad stared him down, "Well, why don't you come with us and we'll meet up with them later, I'm sure they'll want to go to the Q&A." Harry nodded, not at all sure about that, but accepted the idea. Her mother clapped her hands, "So! Where to first?" Hermione immediately said, "The bookstore!" Harry shrugged, "It'd probably be best to get stuff to hold it first. There's an equipment shop next door." Hermione nodded, "Of course, why didn't I think of that?" Harry shrugged and they walked next door. Hermione got a case that was about double the size it looked for 5 Galleons. Meanwhile Harry, who felt like spending what he had, got a super high quality one that would shrink itself down to the size of a briefcase and follow him around, without muggles noticing it. In its main area it held triple what Hermione's held. It's lid also opened up to reveal spots to hang clothing on and several small drawers for miscellany. The outside also held several drawers that were three times deeper than they looked. He paid 15 Galleons for it, along with 2 Galleons to have it keyed in so that only he could open it. The Grangers seemed surprised that he could afford such a thing, but said nothing about it. Then they went to Flourish and Blott's. They firstly grabbed all the school books they'd need, then looked around. Both Harry and Hermione gravitated towards the history section, each grabbing a copy of Hogwarts, A History. Harry also got The Rise and Fall of The Dark Lord; The Potters, an Unauthorized Biography; and A Brief Look Into Englands Fall From Grace. Harry was about to move onto another section when his eye caught a book near the bottom; Parsletongue and Other Dead Languages, which he quickly added to his own pile. He moved next to the language section. A quick glance into the books and he saw that knowing Latin would surely help him so he got A Beginner's Guide to the Latin Language and It's Relationship to Magic. Upon seeing this Hermione quickly grabbed a copy as well. Skimming the section he found nothing else, so moved on to look for a section on snakes. There were no such sections, it turned out, only ones on Magical Creatures. There were however, several book on snakes themselves, so he grabbed, How to Care for Magical Snakes along with A Quick Guide to Magical Snake Species. Satisfied Harry brought his stack to the counter and found that his own rivaled Hermione's, who frowned at this. The adults just chuckled. When the clerk was done ringing his out he said, "107 Galleons 11 Sickles 25 Knuts." Hermione's parents looked startled and were about to say something however Harry just rummaged around in his pouch and pulled out 108 Galleons and the clerk handed back 5 Sickles and 4 Knuts. Hermione's mom approached Harry as he was putting the books in his trunk, "Harry, do you think you should be spending so much money, won't your Aunt be upset?" Harry shook his head, "It's not her money, it's mine, from my vault." She looked surprised, "You already have a vault?" Harry nodded, "The Potter family was quite rich, I have alot." She thought about that, "Well, don't you think you should slow down a bit? You don't want to run out by the time you graduate." Harry shook his head and pulled out the manilla folder and showed her the first page. She paled, "You, you should put that away Harry. Don't show that to anyone else, ok?" Harry nodded, "Alright Mrs. Granger."

Next they went to the stationery shop and bought several packets of parchment and quills. Harry got two automatic refilling quills with never drip spells or something on it that said it should last a long time, they cost 2 galleons a piece. Then they got lunch at a Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, which apparently served more than ice cream. While they were there Harry snuck away to Gringotts and got some more, since he hadn't planned on spending quite that much on books.

When he got back they went to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and got robes. Hermione got the prescribed 3 robes for daily wear, along with the pointed hat, winter cloak, and fastenings. Harry meanwhile got water and stain repellent robes that also resisted tears of a much higher quality.

Then they went to the cauldron shop, since they were nearby. Harry got two cauldrons, instead of one, in case it melted somehow or something like that, along with crystal phials, dragon hide gloves,and his brass scales. Then he asked to go to the Apothecary across the street and bought a beginners potions ingredients kit, so he could practice. He also bought a book titled How Ingredients Affect The Potion, which Harry thought looked fascinating when he skimmed through it, along with a medical kit, guessing Dudley's beatings wouldn't stop at Hogwarts.

With that done they headed to Ollivander's. On the way Harry saw his Aunt and cousin leaving the second-hand robe shop and he smirked at them. For once he was better than them. They spent nearly an hour in Ollivanders. Hermione found her's really fast and so was wandering around the shop for the better part of the hour while Harry tried wand after wand. Finally he found his and bought it, along with a wand holster and wand cleaning kit for both him and Hermione, since he felt a bit bad for spending so much money around her. They stopped by Magical Menagerie so that Harry could see what was needed to take care of a snake. It turned out not much, but he bought her a sweater for the colder months at Hogwarts, since that did come suggested. Finally they stopped by Gringotts one more time so that Harry could see if they'd found the book, which they had and he bought it true to his word.

They were heading towards the Leaky Cauldron with less than half an hour till 5 when they saw his Aunt and cousin leaving the cauldron shop. "Ah, Mrs. Dursley I believe, and Dudley, if I'm not mistaken." The two looked surprised to be addressed by Mr. Granger and shrank from him. "We've been shopping with Harry all day, and I must say he's a delight to be around, you raised him well." His aunt shot him a venomous look, "Let's go boy!" Harry nodded, said a quick good bye and ran after them.

(+_+)

It turned out that after Harry had left Hermione had somehow convinced her parents to get her an owl. Dudley also had an owl, which was why they had to get second hand robes, since his Aunt hadn't brought enough money with her. Regardless, one evening, while Harry was in the garden, after his chores were done and was reading Parseltongue, and Other Dead Languages aloud to Rusé Hermione's snow white owl appeared and stuck out her leg for him. Harry quickly unfurled it and began to read.

Harry, sorry if this is a surprise but mum and dad let me get Hedwig after you left and I wanted to see how you were doing. I've been great. We went to France, as we planned and its just as pretty as always. I've also been doing loads of reading. I've read our Transfiguration book three times! I've also been trying to write with a quill, I'm not very good right now. Speaking of, sorry if this is a blotty mess. How are you doing with your writing? Probably amazing with those quills you bought. How about your reading? You bought a lot of books. Well anyways mum and dad are calling me, so I've got to go.

Hermione

The letter was in fact a bloated mess but Harry hadn't tried to write with his yet. He whistled and his case came running. It turned out his case could be trained. He taught it the names and subjects of all his books and now all he had to do was call one and they came. He could also whistle to get it to come, and whistle again to stop. He quite liked that. It appeared before him and he murmured, "Quill and paper." They both spit out of the case, which he then used as a writing surface.

Hermione,

Nice to hear from you and its no problem, about the mess or the bird. Speaking of Hedwig, can I borrow her for a bit, I have some letters I'd like to send. This is my first time writing with my quills, and it seems to be fine, feels a bit weird, but fine. I've read most of the books, I'm on the last one right now. I've never been to France, but I heard it's cool. Hope your having fun.

Harry

Harry was making slow progress with the books, simply due to his chores. His aunt was depressed, so she didn't leave him many chores and instead flitted around the house randomly cleaning things, pretty much only stopping to eat or sleep. However that didn't mean he didn't have chores. He still had to cook all the meals and take care of the garden. He also had to make his Aunt pay the bills that came in the mail, as his Uncle was usually the one who did that, but the power had turned off twice from her not doing so, so Harry made sure she did so. Twice she'd snapped at him, why don't you, you're bloody rich, and twice he'd snapped back, "It's not my bloody house." He'd been locked in his closet for several hours each time, only to be released to cook dinner.

School was approaching soon and Harry felt his anticipation building. He really liked the subjects they'd be learning, though he was a bit concerned on the lack of maths or sciences, along with the fact that the History class seemed to revolve entirely around an extremely out of date book that only talked about Goblin rebellions. He decided that he wanted to be tutored on those subjects while at school, so he went to the library one day, after waking up early so he could finish the garden early. He walked up to the familiar librarian, "Hi Mrs. Shannon." "Hi, Harry, what can I do for you?" "I'm going to be visiting my Aunt's family for awhile, helping out with the farm and stuff like that, and I was wondering if you had anyone who'd be willing to tutor me through the mail. Like mail me the stuff I need to know and like worksheets and stuff, then test me when I get back?" "Well I don't know Harry, that's a bit of an odd request, but let me see who's tutoring at your level." She pulled out a thick binder and flipped to his group, "Well Harry, it looks like Mr. Lupin is here right now waiting for someone, you could go ask him." She pointed out the man and Harry thanked her and walked over.

"Hi, Mr. Lupin?" The man in question, who appeared to have been dozing jolted awake, "Oh, yes?" Then he took a good look at Harry and jumped, "James?" Harry frowned, "Uh, no Harry. Harry Potter." The man's eyes widened, "Right, sorry. Umm, what can I help you with Harry?" "Right, well I'm going away to help on a family farm, and it'll be during school, and I was wondering if you could tutor me in maths and sciences through the mail, then test me when I come back." He stared at him, "Of course Harry, I'd be glad to. What's the address that I need to send them to?" Harry glanced around nervously, "Actually, all you have to do is write my name and the farm's name on it and it'll find it's way to the farm." He'd read that wizards who worked in the post office passed along the letters to the school. Lupin smiled at him funnily, "And what's the name of the farm?" "Uh-Hogwarts. Spelled the way it sounds." "Harry." "Yes?" "Can I tell you something?" "Ok..." He leaned in and whispered, "I'm a wizard too, I'll just use an owl." Harry's eyes widened and he backed away a little bit, "Oh-Okay... Well I've got to get home, thanks Mr. Lupin. Have a good day." And he ran all the way home, remembering what the Professor had said about people wanting to hurt him and him being safe at his Aunt and Uncle's house. He stayed inside for the rest of the day, glancing outside every so often, looking for signs that the Death Eaters (he'd found the name out from his books) were coming.

The next day Hedwig arrived and Harry immediately sent a letter to the Professor about what had happened. Within the hour he got a response back. Inside was a picture of four people, one who looked alot like him, and one who looked a lot like Mr. Lupin.

Mr. Potter,

Sorry if Mr. Lupin scared you, but rest assured he is not a Death Eater, and he will not hurt you. Mr. Lupin was a childhood friend of your parent's and was more than likely excited to finally see you after so long.

In the picture inclosed he is featured with your father (in the glasses) and mother. He is the one with auburn hair. I hope that clears everything up and that you are ready for term. Have a lovely day, Mr. Potter.

Professor Minerva McGonagall

Harry felt significantly better about this, though he was slightly unnerved to see Sirius Black in the picture. And a bit confused. He had alot of questions, which meant alot of letters, so he decided that first he needed an owl of his own, so that he didn't have to rely so much on Hedwig.

Dear Owner of Eeylops Owl Emporium,

My name is Harry James Potter and I would like an owl. Preferably one that is highly trained, does not like strangers very much, simply tolerates them, and does not mind snakes. I'll need any and all supplies that go with caring for an owl, of the highest quality please. I'd also like a book on training and bonding an owl. Please feel free to bill my Gringotts bank.

Harry James Potter

He actually hadn't known his middle name, as no one had bothered telling him, until he'd read his books. He thought adding it made it more official. He rolled it up and tied the letter to Hedwig's leg, who flew off. Later that day, after dinner, there was a loud crack sound in the living room and his Aunt screamed. Harry ran to see what it was and saw Griphook standing in the living, "Hello Harry." "Hi Griphook, whats up?" "We must talk." "Ok." Harry led him out of the living room, to the backyard. "Now, it's not unusual to have things billed to your vaults, however doing so requires two things. Firstly, there is a small fee from Gringotts of between a Galleon and 10 Galleons, depending on the price being moved." Harry nodded, "That's fine." Griphook nodded, "Secondly, you will get a small bill that you must stamp with your house crest. Now, as the head of the house you may change it, otherwise this is the Potter crest." Harry was shown an image of a shield with a knight's helmet on top with a creature of some kind above it. Harry shrugged, "That's fine." Griphook nodded and pulled out a stamp, "This stamp requires no ink, all you must do with it is set it to paper and it will place your stamp on it. Be warned though, stamping anything with it makes it a legal binding document, so you should be wary of using it too often, or in the wrong situation, especially on anything that talks about losing nobility, fortune, or magic, for any period of time. Now, when you bill your vaults it will take it from your default vault, which is currently the vault we visited, do you wish this to remain as such?" Harry nodded. "Very well, when you tell someone to bill us we will send you a bill that says how much will be taken, at what time, for what reason, and who it will be sent to. You then must stamp the paper and it will duplicate itself. The duplicate will disappear and reappear in our paperwork. You should keep the original, perhaps in the manilla folder I gave you." Harry nodded, "Alright." "Here is your first bill." He passed both the bill and the stamp to Harry. Harry whistled and his briefcase came running. Harry set it on his lap, stamped the bill and watched as it duplicated itself and disappeared. Harry opened the briefcase and said, "Manilla Folder." The folder appeared and Harry set the bill in it, then set the folder back in the case. He opened one of the small drawers and set the stamp in it. He shooed his briefcase away when he was done. "Anything else?" "That will be all Mr. Potter." "Have a good day Griphook." Griphook paused, "You as well, Mr. Potter." And with a loud crack he was gone. A few seconds later he heard his aunt storming towards him, he sighed and prepared himself.

( ((OoO)) )

His owl had arrived with the name Mandarin, which Harry didn't like or dislike, so he left it alone. Rusé didn't care for him, but Mandarin didn't care about her so Harry was satisfied. He also plenty disliked Harry, his aunt, and his cousin, which meant he was less likely to get intercepted. He then sent him to the Flourish & Blotts and requested a copy of every book about the Potters, the Blacks, and the Dark Lord, along with some beginners looks into both the economy and the government and that they all be sent to Hogwarts for him, since the term was only a few days away. The bill arrived and Harry stamped it easily, then awaited his owl's arrival. He came back by dinner and Harry sent him back out with another letter to Gringotts, requesting a copy of any books that had been written by Goblins, and that they be sent to Hogwarts with his chest. Another bill arrived, this one quite a bit heftier than the previous one, but he stamped it nevertheless. Then he owled Mr. Lupin his pretest. Harry had, after getting Hedwig back from Eeylops, sent one to Mr. Lupin apologizing for his behaviour, explaining it and how he'd calmed down. Mr. Lupin had sent his own owl back, as Hedwig had dropped the letter off and flown home, as Harry had told her she could do, saying that it was quite alright, then he requested to know where Harry was in his subjects. Harry suggested a pretest instead, and asked how much he charged for tutoring. Mr. Lupin had sent a pretest back, which Harry had just finished, and thought he did quite well on. He'd also told him he wouldn't charge Harry for the tutoring. He thought this was rubbish and planned to send him 35 Galleons a letter (just over 100 pounds) and would tell him in no uncertain terms that he would not accept the money back.

The day before term started the three of them left to London and spent the night there again. Once more Harry slept in the tub, this time with Rusé, who liked it just fine. They got to Kings Cross twenty minutes before it was scheduled to leave and parted ways with his Aunt in between 9 and 10. Harry didn't bother to say goodbye, and instead ran through the barrier, holding his briefcase. He got on the platform and didn't see Hermione, so he boarded the train and found an empty compartment quite easily. Harry had just pulled out a book (How Ingredients Affect the Potion) and flipped to the page he was on. He'd already read the book, but he quite liked it and decided that he wanted more potions books when his compartment door slid open and a blond boy stepped in. "You look like Harry Potter, are you Harry Potter?" "How do you know I look like Harry Potter?" He challenged. "My dad went to school with your dad, he said you look just like him." Harry shrugged, no point lying to a classmate, "Yeah, I'm Harry Potter, and you are?" "I'm Draco Malfoy, nice to meet you. Mind if I sit here?" He asked as he sat, "Sure mind if Rusé joins us?" As Rusé slithered out of his pocket Harry contemplated the name Malfoy. It was the name of a family that had helped rebuild Europe after the great war of 1850, and old family then. And from Malfoy's tone, still important, probably someone he should get to know and be friendly with, so long as he liked Rusé. Draco froze when he saw her then glared at him, "How'd you get them to let you have a snake? The letter only said toad, cat, or owl!" Harry shrugged, "I guess they made an exception." For the great Harry Potter, was the insinuation. He pouted, "Well she looks cool, can I touch her?" Harry looked at her and she nodded so he passed her over. Draco was happily petting her when the door slid open and Hermione walked in, "Hi Harry! Can I sit with you guys?" Harry shrugged, "Sure." Draco however, frowned, "Who are you?" "I'm Hermione Granger." She grunted as she tried to put her luggage up. Harry stood and helped her. "Granger...The name doesn't sound familiar, are you a mudblood?" Harry turned after the got it up and asked, "What's a mudblood?" "A witch with no magical blood, a muggleborn, how don't you know that?" Hermione nodded, "Yeah, I am." "Harry, why would you let her sit with us?" "She's smart and friendly." "And...So what, she's still a mudblood." Hermione frowned and Harry glared, "Listen, it doesn't matter who someone's family is. My mum was muggleborn, but she was also top of her class and brightest witch in a century. She earned loads of awards and was the first ever witch to be a certified healer right out of school, no training, just test and go." Draco glared at him, "Yeah right. Listen if you're hanging out with her, you're not hanging out with me." Harry shrugged and he stormed out as the train started moving. "Thanks Harry." Harry shrugged again, then introduced her to Rusé, who Draco had set down before leaving. Hermione wasn't as crazy about Rusé as Draco was, but she seemed to like her well enough. They rode mostly in silence, reading the whole way, except when it came time to get changed, stepping out so that the other could change.

Harry thought the ride over the lake would have been beautiful, if it hadn't been raining so freaking hard. Too make matters worse a poltergeist of some sort was throwing water balloons at every body when the entered the hallways. Thankfully Professor McGonagall came and shooed him away. Harry stood quietly in the waiting area that she had shown them to, listening to Hermione fret about whether she had read enough. When Professor McGonagall came to retrieve them the walked into the Great Hall and Harry heard Hermione telling some girl that he vaguely recalled from the Muggleborn intimation about the fact that the hall ceiling was bewitched.

They waited as a hat sang a song that Harry paid no attention to, because it was a HAT with no true consciousness to speak of, or at least none that Harry would ever acknowledge. He quickly figured out that this would be the method of sorting and now he just wanted it over so he could get to his classes. He stood listening quietly to the sorting.

Abbott to Hufflepuff.

Bones to Hufflepuff.

Boot to Hufflepuff, so many Hufflepuffs!

Brocklehurst, to Ravenclaw, finally the cycle broken! Though with an unfortunate name.

Brown to Gryffindor, the first to go.

Harry was only paying attention to find out where HE would be going, so that Harry would not go there.

Bulstrode to Slytherin, another unfortunate name, for the first to go there.

Cornfoot to Ravenclaw, what a weird name.

With each name called the house in question cheered.

Corner to Ravenclaw.

Crabbe to Slytherin.

Davis to Slytherin.

Dunbar to Gryffindor.

And then HE stepped up. Harry rocked on the edges of his feet.

Dursley to Gryffindor, Harry sighed, so Gryffindor was out of the running.

He didn't bother to pay much attention to the rest of the sorting, aside from thinking about the names. Entwhistle went after Dudley and how could that be anything but a sad name. The Error. He wondered how many mistakes that kid would make. He chuckled at his own joke.

Then Ganesha, and odd name again. Then Longbottom. The boy in question looked as unfortunate as his last name. He noted Hermione went to Gryffindor, a pity they couldn't be together but oh well. A girl from the Muggleborn orientation went to Slytherin and he knew that probably wouldn't end well. Then Draco went to Slytherin, not much of a surprise really. Eloise went later and Harry thought about the fact that it'd fallen into disuse. Then some twins who got separated. Then the girl before him went to Slytherin, and then it was his turn. Harry walked forward when his name was called and heard people instantly begin to whisper but he didn't pay any attention and instead sat down. The hat landed on his head and his first thought was, 'Not Gryffindor.' 'Oh? But you could be great there.' 'No, my cousin is there and I will not be stuck with him.' 'Very well, let's see what else is here. You're loyal, but more concerned with yourself. Intelligent, but study only to advance yourself. Well I suppose with your cunning, you and your little Rusé will head to-' "Slytherin!" The hat screamed it and the hall, which had been filled with whispering only moments ago fell silent. Harry stood as the startled Professor McGonagall pulled the hat from his head, probably reflexively. Harry walked towards his house, which was staring at him calculatingly, and sat next to the girl from orientation. The hall remained quiet for several minutes before the headmaster cleared his throat. Professor McGonagall, who'd been staring at him as if he was a lost puppy, shook her head and continued the sorting, though there weren't many left.

Thomas went to Gryffindor.

Turpin went to Ravenclaw.

Weasley went to Gryffindor.

Zabini joined Harry at the Slytherin table, though joined was not quite the right word as he sat at the complete opposite side.

The headmaster stood with that completed and said some nonsense and food appeared on the table. The girl, Clarice if he recalled correctly turned to him as he put food onto his plate. "Right, well want to join into an Alliance, fellow Muggleborn." Harry shrugged, "Fine, but I'm not a Muggleborn, though I'm probably more hated here than one." "Who could possibly be more hated than a Muggleborn at the Slytherin table?" "The boy who defeated Voldemort." Nearby several people choked and turned to shout at him but he just waved them off. "Who's that?" "The dark lord most of their parents supported, all blood purity and that nonsense. Killed a bunch of people, then was defeated by me as a baby." "How'd you do that?" Harry shrugged, "That's my little secret." A boy nearby spoke up, "I don't know what nonsense your precious blood traitors have been telling you, but just because we're in Slytherin doesn't mean our parents supported You-Know-Who." Harry nodded, "Nobody's been telling me anything, but as houses tend to run in the family, from what I've read anyways, I would imagine most of your parents were in Slytherin, and since Slytherins are cunning and want power, it would only makes sense that your parents would align themselves with the rising power of the time, who was Voldemort." Many people choked again and yelled at him. "You shouldn't say his name," the boy muttered. Harry shrugged again.

Dinner went by pretty quietly, with Harry and Clarice both being glared at for most of it. At the end the headmaster made a speech talking about the most important rules, and clearly baiting people to go to the 'forbidden forest' and 'forbidden third floor.' Harry didn't particularly care about either of those things right now so he ignored them. They left, with most of the Slytherins giving him a wide berth. They went down several flights of stairs, into the Dungeons. The reached the end of a hallway the seemed inconspicuous, but the prefect they were following pulled out his wand, then looked directly at Clarice and said, "Pureblood." The wall opened and showed a large cavernous room decked out in green and silver. It was really quite charming. The prefect lead them in, "Right, first year orientation is before breakfast tomorrow at 7 am. Dorms are down this hallway, first year rooms are the third hallway on the left. First year bathrooms are the third hallway on the right. Get some sleep." With that they were dismissed.

Harry and Clarice walked through the large common room, down the hallway and into the first year hallway. Their rooms were right next to each other, since they were organized alphabetically. "Come here Clarice, I want to show you something." Clarice obliged and walked in. Harry was pleased to see his chest at the end of the bed, with his suitcase and a monstrous stack of books on top of it. "God Harry, how'd you get all that on the train?" Harry smiled at her, "I didn't, I had it sent here. But that's not what I wanted to show you. He sat on his bed and patted it to get her to sit next to him, "Come on out Russsé." She tensely slithered out of his pocket. Clarise's eyes widened, "Did you just hiss?" Harry nodded, "I can speak Parseltongue it's the snake language." "Can I?" "I doubt it, it's genetic and you would've understood the hiss." She looked upset, "It's so cute! What's its name?" "Her name's Rusé." "Cool!" "Harry!" Harry looked down at Rusé, "What'sss up?" "There'sss another sssnake here. An alpha. I have to go meet her." Harry frowned, "What do you mean?" She shook her head, "I don't have time, I have to go, ssshe'sss demanding it. I'll be back, I promissse." Harry nodded, "Alright, be careful." "I will." And with that she slithered out of the room. "Where'd she go?" "I don't know."

 **So there's the end of the first chapter. I can't guarantee they'll all be this long, since I kind of just write until I run out of steam. To give you an idea of how long chapters will take to push out, I had four consecutive days off this week from work, I wrote almost all day on each day, getting very little sleep. On the fifth day, in between work, seeing Age of Ultron (EPIC!), and hanging with my bf and mom, I transferred this into google docs and worked through the tedious process of spelling and grammar checks, made even more tiresome when Parseltongue was added to it. So yeah, I have no idea how long the chapters will be or how long it'll take to push out chapters, I guess we'll figure it out as we go!**

 **If any of you are curious about how much Harry spent on his shopping spree, not including the books he later order or how much he paid Gringotts;**

 **He initially drew 400 Galleons out of Gringotts.**

 **17 Galleons for his special case.**

 **107 Galleons 11 Sickles and 25 knuts for his books.**

 **4 Galleons for quills**

 **5 Galleons 3 Sickles and 10 knuts for parchment (he bought a huge amount)**

 **5 Galleons 12 Sickles and 6 Knuts for lunch (he wouldn't let the Grangers pay for him.**

 **The he snuck to Gringotts and got 800 more Galleons.**

 **75 Galleons 15 Sickles and 2 Knuts on clothes**

 **60 Galleons on Potion's supplies, a book, and a medical kit.**

 **33 Galleons 4 Sickles and 15 Knuts for his wand.**

 **12 Galleons 8 Sickles and 2 Knuts for his and Hermione's wand holsters and cleaning kits.**

 **1 Galleon 4 Sickles and 6 Knuts on the snake sweater.**

 **31 Galleons 3 Sickles and 5 Knuts on the Goblin Written Book.**

 **He was left with 78 Galleons 2 Sickles and 28 Knuts.**

 **Yeah Harry's not afraid to spend money. For the most part I got my prices from the first article that will appear if you Google Search How Much Does It Cost To Go To Hogwarts. I increased a lot of them, taking into account that Harry wanted much higher quality stuff. I also just based it off of real world prices. I used the Beyond Hogwarts Currency Converter, since the HP Lexicon one doesn't like me.**

 **So yeah if you have any questions go ahead and let me know. Reviews would be enormously welcome, good or bad, though you should keep in mind that this fic is heavily cracked on purpose.**

 **Anyways, till next time.**


	2. Transfiguration

Harry dismissed Clarice after Rusé left, worrying working through him. He rolled his shoulders and attempted to distract himself with the room. He'd never had a room to himself, aside from his cupboard, and he liked it quite a bit. It was circular, a fact made odd by the seemingly straight hallway outside, but he didn't question it too much, magic did as it pleased he supposed. The bed was to the left of the door way and opposite of that was a fireplace with two comfortable looking chairs near it. In between the two was a large window which showed what Harry supposed was a rather unique view of the Hogwarts Lake, in that it showed the inside of the lake. He smile appreciatively as he watched a strange octopus like creature swim by, quickly followed by similar looking ones. Beneath that was an ornate desk and chair set, to the left of which rested a small, empty bookcase.

He had set to work filling the bookcase, both with the books he'd brought with him and with the books that had been sent, when he heard a pop that sounded horribly similar to the one time his uncle had used a gun. He tensed, remembering the pain in his arm, and slowly turned around, preparing himself for the worst. He wasn't really sure what to make of what he found, but it was a small, owlish looking creature. "Hello?"

The creature smiled at him, and blinked it's unnaturally large eyes at him. "Hello Master Lord Potter!" Harry blinked slowly, recognizing the title both from his Gringotts' documents and from his books. "Um… Who are you?" He refrained himself from saying what, thinking that even if it was a genuine question it was nevertheless rude to ask someone who called him their master. "Tipsy is Master Lord Potter's houself!"

He tried to figure out what to make of this houself. It was thin, with a rather large head. It had almost no hair atop its head, making its sharp, folded ears stand out further and its small nose and mouth had the same effect on its eyes. So far as he could tell it was wearing a towel of some kind as an outfit and was probably a servant, from its use of the word master, and not a well-treated one from what looked to be bruises and burns on its grey skin.

"Are you a servant?" He asked as calmly as he could. Tipsy nodded excitedly, "Oh yes, Tipsy is proud to call herself servant to Master Lord Potter!" "So willingly then?" She nodded, "Yes! Tipsy is most excited to have a master! The others have described what it is like and it sounds most glorious!" He blinked, from his experience it most certainly was not glorious, but he supposed to each their own. "So, if you've not had a master before, what makes me yours?" "Tipsy was born right before the Masters Lord James and Lord Lily died, but she does not remembers them." "And you said there are others?" She looked slightly sad again and nodded, "The Master Potter's house once had many Houselves, but they has long since died out, now we are only twelve, and seven are of the crazies." He felt as if his mind was playing tricks on him, "And why are they 'of the crazies'?" "'Cuz we don't have a master!" Harry stared at her, waiting for her to continue. She frowned slightly, "Tipsy doesn't know how it works, but we Houselves need our masters to live. If we don't has them then we goes crazy and dies." Harry's eyes widened, so some incentive then.

He was surprised that he hadn't heard of Houselves in all his readings, though they were still admittedly limited. He sat in his desk chair and wished that Rusé were there, she'd know how to react. He examined her as critically as he could, he felt as if he was being forced to keep slaves, but he really didn't like the sound of that, besides the fact that the so called slave were the ones forcing him to keep them so they couldn't really be called slaves but more…pleased servants? Nevertheless she seemed filthy and he had no doubt that the others would too, perhaps from not having a master to serve for so long. He wanted to help immediately, but the watch he'd bought himself said that it was nearing midnight and he had school for three more days before the weekend so he didn't exactly have the time.

"Well Tipsy, why don't you and the others clean yourselves up and I'll officially meet them all on Saturday?" A thought occurred to him, multiple actually. "But first, where are you guys staying, and how'd you find me?" "Tipsy is staying here, she signed herself up to work for the bad man so that she could find you! Tipsy and the others have been looking for you for a long time, but then Elfos sensed your magic and told Tipsy so Tipsy started here." She smiled happily at him, then seemed to remember that she'd forgotten something, "Oh! And the others is staying at Potter mansion." "And the bad man is…?" She flushed slightly and looked a little angry, "The headmaster here, he tooks you away from your God Master Sirius and made it so Tipsy and the others couldn't find you!" Well from what he'd read God Master Sirius was not a good man, so it was hard for him to call the headmaster a bad man for doing so.

"Alright, well like I said if you guys could clean yourselves up, maybe get a better outfit than a towel, I'll meet the rest of you here at noon on Saturday? I'll write to Dumbledore requesting your release of your duties." Tipsy looked extremely happy and hugged his legs, "Oh thank you Master Lord Harry Potter!" "Um, sure and its either Master Harry or Lord Harry, not both." She nodded her understanding and bowed, "Of course Master Harry!" He felt like the conversation was over but he also didn't feel like just outright dismissing her coldly, "So, uh, see you on Saturday." "Bye Master Potter!" The houself waved and popped away, leaving the beginnings of a migraine settling into Harry's head.

(O_-)

Harry woke blearily to his alarm on his watch beeping loudly at 6:30, which was actually about an hour earlier than he usually woke at the Dursleys, since breakfast had to be on the table at 6 so that his uncle could get an early start to the day. He stretched and padded over to the bathroom side of the hallway, which had three bathrooms on one side and three closets on the other. Each closet contained a large number of towels, wash clothes, scrubs, a variety of shampoos, conditioners, and body washes, and even some bath bubbles. He grabbed a towel, a shampoo and body wash (his hair was not long enough for conditioner) and he walked quickly into the bathroom. Within five minutes he was out. He'd left the towel in the basket in the washroom and replaced the body wash and shampoo.

He grabbed one of the goblin books on the founding of Gringotts, snapped his briefcase for it to follow him, and sat in the common room to wait for orientation. It started at precisely 7 and began with a prefect passing out a thick packet of parchment. "These are the expectations for your seven years at Hogwarts. I will go over some basic rules, then our Head of House, Professor Severus Snape, will arrive and cover some of the ones he considers most important.

"Firstly it is important that you do not bother him with any silly questions, first you will go to a member of your study group, which has been assigned to you and is on page seven. Then you will go to one of the fifth year prefects, who are Sarah Gendter and Terrance Jigger. Then if they cannot solve the problem they will go to the sixth year prefects, who are Jeffery Gendter and Lisa Switch. If they cannot solve it they will come to either myself, Andrew Gendter, or my girlfriend and co seventh year prefect Phyllinda Area. If we cannot answer it then WE will ask Professor Snape. Things do not usually go that far. Before you ask, yes Sarah, Jeffery and I are related.

"Next up is studying. You will be expected to study and maintain good grades, and no you cannot bribe the teachers. I say this because every year some fool tries, and every year that fool ends up with three months of detention, which looks bad on us; so for the love of Merlin, do not try to bribe your teachers. To help maintain your study habits, as I mentioned earlier you have been assigned a study group of three or four, since this year we have eleven first years. You will go to this study group every day, no exceptions, at what time is up to you. On Sunday all eleven of you will meet up and do a mass study group on test groups, led by the fourth year representative. Again, you must attend this.

"Speaking of representatives, the person with the highest grades in all classes, and who gains the most points, will be assigned your representative. Currently there is no representative, but they will be assigned at the end of the month, and will change every month, or until they are knocked out of the spot. With this in mind you will be given a score that will change as things change. It is posted on that bulletin board," he indicated said bulletin board. It is from one to one hundred, and fluctuates based on your grades, how many points you've earned and lost, and how many detentions you've received. So be on your best behavior, as anyone with a hundred score at the end of the second year will be able to access the prefect's bathroom whenever they please, starting third year and so long as they maintain said one hundred score, this is a full two years earlier than anyone in any other house."

Just then the door to the common room opened and in walked a tall, pale man, with greasy hair. "I am your Head of House, Professor Severus Snape of Potions. Naturally I expect you all to excel in the class." His eyes swept the group in front of him, lingering on all of them, though more so on Clarissa who had joined him shortly before the orientation started. "As I am sure Andrew informed you, those packets are not to be lost, nor can they be replaced. Opening to the first page you will see the most important rule. Slytherins stick together. In this common room anything goes so long as no one dies, or is put in a coma, however outside of this common room you are to act with decorum. Any and all so called 'attacks' on others will only involve other houses. And only where eyes cannot see.

"If a member of your house is being bullied for any reason you are to defend them and inform a prefect. If a member of your house is hurt, you are to help them and inform a prefect or a teacher, of any house. If a member of your house stands out," his eyes lingered on Clarice and Harry, "you are not to show it. You are to protect any and all members of this house, no excuses.

"In the interest of decorum page ten details your uniform, which you must keep at the highest standard at all times.

"Now, I will also be visiting all of your parents and discussing you with them within the next two weeks, so be sure to write them and have them write me for a time. There are no exceptions.

"Lastly, I have skipped over many rules, as has Andrew. This does not mean that the rules are useless or not to be followed, only that we believe that you can follow these rules without our assistance. Do not disappoint us. Keep your heads and grades up and together." With that he swept from the room and they were dismissed.

As Clarice and Harry walked up to breakfast Harry read the packet and was nearly done by the time they reached the Great Hall. "How did you read that and guide us here?" Clarice asked as they sat down, "Hmm? Oh I'm used to doing this, besides I memorized the path down and just inversed it for the way up. Also there's a map on the back of page one." She flipped her packet open and began to read after serving herself some breakfast. Harry closed his and quickly penned the Headmaster a note and waited for his owl, who he had trained to come every morning to see if he had anything to send. Sure enough, within five minutes the owl appeared and stole several pieces of Clarice's bacon. "Hey!" "He does that, by the by." She glared at him halfheartedly as she served herself some more while Harry tied the note to her leg. "You could've warned me." Harry ignored her, "Come right back, I have more for you to deliver." The owl hooted at him, stole the rest of the bacon Clarice had served herself, and flew off. "There's a full plate right there! Why'd he take from me!?" Harry shrugged, "You're an easy target." She scowled and grabbed some more while Harry started on his other note.

 _Dear Aunt Petunia,_

 _And possibly Uncle Vernon,_

 _I do hope this letter finds you, or the two of you, well. I'm sure you'll be excited to learn that I have been sorted into Slytherin, the house of the cunning, and your son has been sorted in Gryffindor, the house of the brave. I do not know about his head of house, Professor Minerva McGonagall, but my head of house, Professor Severus Snape wishes to meet with you. Unfortunately this is non-negotiable so I'd suggest writing him right away and planning a time, you may use my owl so long as you do not hurt him and you feed him bacon._

 _Your dearest nephew,_

 _Lord Harry James Potter_

Harry smirked at the letter, it had plenty of unwanted familiarity in it, while also plenty of places to rub in how much better he was, and also plenty of places to rub salt into the wound of his Uncle Vernon's disappearance, as he had no doubt left her for good. He wrote his aunt's name on it and smiled as his owl appeared with a letter tied to its leg. He opened it and read through it quickly, it basically just said that the headmaster was more than willing to relinquish Tipsy and a suggestion to make good choices. He smirked and was about to tie the next letter to Manderin's leg when Clarice yelped in pain. He smiled bemusedly as he watched her snatch her hand away from the bacon which the owl quickly devoured, then allowed Harry to tie the new letter to his leg. Clarice glared at the owl who stood there for several seconds, no doubt waiting for her to fill her plate back up, before hooting indignantly, grabbing several pieces off the communal plate, and flying away.

"Your owl's going to get fat if it eats that much bacon every morning." Harry shrugged, "Then I'll replace it. Who's in your study group?" She flipped to the next page and read aloud, "Draco Malfoy and Daphne Greengrass, who's in yours?" "Tracy Davis, Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini. So the way I look at it, you'll have to do two things to get in good graces here." "Stop being a muggleborn and die?" He smirked at her, "Two things that are possible; excel beyond everyone else, or at least far enough that they have no choice but to respect you, and get in Malfoy's good graces. I was reading some history books and their family goes back at least to the eighteen hundreds, probably further from what it sounded like, so they're going to be an old and respected family." "But Malfoy's just a kid." "Yeah but people already respect him, I mean look at him." She looked over at him, he was sitting quite a ways away from them and was surrounded by people of all ages. "He's already got bodyguards, a girl fawning all over him, three prefects surrounding him, and tons of other no doubt influential people. You get in his good graces, you're in everybody's good graces." "Well sounds like you better try to as well." Harry shrugged as he finished his breakfast and shoved the papers into his briefcase.

"So what're your classes?" "I think we're all grouped together by house, we're spending all day with the Gryffindors; first in Double Transfiguration, then Double Potions." She glanced at the back page, "Yeah, you're right, we've got twenty minutes till. Why'd you eat so fast?" Harry shrugged and began to read his book again, fascinated by the goblin's explanation of all the faults with the banking system the wizards had set up. He was excited to start investing, he had plenty of money sure, but one could always use more. And he had no doubts that this in depth look would help him greatly.

About ten before class, and right before Clarissa and Harry were about to leave another owl swooped down with a small book sized package. Harry smiled and fed the owl, then fished out 45 Galleons and put them in a small bag that he tied around the owl's leg. He opened it and was pleased to see a typeset packet of worksheets about math, science, and muggle and wizard history, the last of two he'd convinced Mr. Lupin to teach him right before leaving for school, and in doing so he'd decided to increase what he was paying Mr. Lupin, the man had to survive after all.

He shoved the thick packet into his briefcase and they left, "What was that?" "You ask an awful lot of questions." "One can only learn by asking questions." "One can also learn by observing, reading and using logic. If you had observed you would've seen that it was a thick packet of muggle style parchment, which was typeset and stapled together. If you had read you would've seen that the cover letter was a letter from a tutor describing the contents and timeline for when it should be returned to him. Connecting those two together with logic one could assume that it was a packet from a muggle tutor on subjects that I no doubt feel I will be missing out on.

Using that logic one could assume that it would involve at least math and science, and if you glanced at the history text book, one could tentatively assume that the packet also includes history, possibly muggle and unlikely magical. Using that information one would gather that I am not confident in this schools ability to teach me said subjects and enlisted the help of a muggle tutor." She furrowed her eyebrows, "But how would they get it here?" He sniffed, "That is a question for the orientation packets." She glared slightly at him, "Can't you just tell me?" "No, then you won't learn anything, and don't bother asking anyone who's not muggleborn, I doubt they'll know." She frowned at him, "Fine." They walked in a tight silence, which was slightly smug on Harry's part, and arrived to the class a minute or so before everyone else, and so took a seat at the front.

Harry pulled out his Transfiguration textbook, which he already had memorized, along with several pieces of parchment and his quill and set them perfectly straight on his desk. They sat there quietly as the class filed in and were privy to many conversations, the most interesting of which was his cousins. "So what was it like living with the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Become-A-Snake?" "Horrible. He used to bully me all the time. He'd steal my homework and make me write my name on his crappy assignments." Harry stiffened, an angry look clouding his face. "Ugh, and to think, we all thought he was some great savior. No wonder he managed to defeat You-Know-Who, he was worse than him!" "Yeah, him and his buddies used to chase me around the playground and throw rocks at me and when we'd get home he'd lock me in my room and only let me out so I could make him dinner and do his chores and homework!" The red head he was talking to gapped and Harry felt like throwing something, and once more wished that he had Rusé with him. Thankfully class was about to start and right before it did Clarice said, "Wait, he used an owl." Harry smirked as Professor McGonagall changed from the cat sitting on the desk to her human form, to which his eyes grew wide.

She smiled at their responses and began to lecture them on safety and rules of transfiguration. Then she began to lecture them about the actual process and what their first transfiguration would be. By the time she was done with this the class was nearly 3/4ths of the way done and they only really had fifteen minutes to try it out, though they would have more time later she assured them.

Each person had a piece of straw placed in front of them and were instructed to try to make it into a needle. He tried the spell with the right wand movement but nothing happened. He tried twice more before looking at his notes and the text. Visualize the shape, size, material and texture of both items, then visualize the change as you say the words and do the wand movement. He did as instructed this time. Staring hard at the straw. Long, thin, round edges, rough texture, yellow, straw. To. Long, thin, one round edge one sharp edge, smooth texture, and silver, metal. Long, thin, round edges, rough texture, yellow, straw on stone, to long, thin, one round edge one sharp edge, smooth texture, silver, metal. He repeated the chant in his head, trying to visualize the change as he slowly waved his wand and said the words. Still nothing happened, so he cast around him looking for his magic. He remembered feeling odd the few times he'd done accidental magic and so he looked for that feeling again. He didn't feel anything for a moment, then he found a spark. Hmm. A spark. If you blew on sparks they grew. Carefully he did his best to internally blow on the spark until it filled him with a fiery feeling of magic. He tried the process again, visualizing the change, saying the words, moving his wand. Suddenly the world went bright, there were screams, and the sudden silverness of the room was spotted with red. And then it all faded to black.

(XoX)

"I'm talking to Albus about it Severus, he just endangered many children's lives." "You are not biding one of my children's magic!" "Ahem. Minerva, Severus, when I did my tests there was evidence of a broken binding spell." The man's voice was filled with triumph, "And you know what would happen to him if we tried another binding spell!" Harry could practically hear the woman's nostrils flaring, "Fine, but something must be done about him. The amount of effort that went into retrieving everyone and now in healing them was astronomical, and several are in St. Mungo's." "I'm aware Minerva, I helped retrieve them, and you might I add." "And what's with your sudden interest in protecting Mr. Potter? From what I last heard you thought he would be exactly like his father." The man sniffed, "Whether he is or is not does not matter, he is of my house and as such I protect him, along with the rest of my students. Many of whom I rescued right alongside your own students."

Harry wondered what happened that would require people being rescued and some being sent to the hospital, though he was very happy to have someone standing up for him. He tried to stretch but found himself pinned down. He forced his eyes open and looked around as best he could. He cleared his throat. "Uh…Is someone near who can help me?" He heard footsteps and saw the familiar sharp face of his head of house. "Hello, Mr. Potter. Finally decided to join the land of the living?" There was a smirk on his face but Harry could see genuine worry there. "Uh, hello. So why can't I move?" "It's a spell, it keeps you in place so that you can heal." "Right. And why do I need to heal?" The professor paused, "What do you recall?"

He thought back, remembering trying to transfigure the needle, "Um I was in transfiguration and we were doing the practical portion and I was having trouble. So I kind of went looking for my magic, then like blew on it, cause it felt like a small fire, and made it so that it filled me, then I tried the spell again and then it was really bright and red and then I woke up." He figured as many details as possible would help them figure out what went wrong. Whatever his professor was expecting to hear, that was apparently not it. He digested that for a moment and then slowly nodded his head, "And how did you know what it felt like?" "I just thought back to the times I did accidental magic; the time I turned my teachers hair blue, the time I regrew my hair, the time I teleported, or I guess you'd call it appirated to roof of my school building, the time I turned myself green so I could hide in the bushes, all the times I stopped mice for Rusé to catch or when I talked to Aunt Petunia's plants to make them grow better and then they did right in front of me. Then I looked for the feeling."

His professor stared at him for several minutes. After a moment he took a deep breath and began to speak, "You had a block on your magic, one you've apparently been wearing down for some time. I do not know where it came from so do not ask me. It seems that you overpowered your spell quite a bit. Not uncommon for your age, though you did overpower it quite a bit. In your overpowering of the spell you managed to turn nearly everything in the classroom into a needle of some kind, which is naturally overwhelmingly dangerous. Many students were trapped in the classroom and many nearly bled to death." "Severus!" His professor turned, "It is essential he know the damage that he caused so that he does not repeat it." He turned back to him, "The ones nearest to you ended up in St. Mungo's and are in critical condition, you were just barely spared having to go there yourself. Currently you are regrowing one bone, several muscles, and nearly all of your skin, hence being pinned down so that you do not harm any of those delicate processes. I am afraid to say that your cousin was out of his seat and appears to have been approaching you when the spell was overpowered and he was one of the many who are now in St. Mungo's. Naturally your aunt is there with your cousin, though I am sure she will visit you shortly." If Harry could've moved he would've been squirming at the thought. He didn't believe for a second that any visit of hers would be a pleasant one. Besides that how had he managed to overpower it so much?

"Tipsy must be let through! Tipsy and Darry and Hawk and Findel and Transty and Rowd and Cor and Nullus and S-" "Tipsy?" "You know these Houselves Mr. Potter?" his head of house questioned. He tried to nod, then remembered and instead said, "Yeah, they're my Houselves." "Yes Tipsy is! And so are Darry and Hawk and-" "Yes Tipsy, we all remember the list," said a tired voice. "Very well, you may see him, but you must defer to Madam Pomfrey on healing him, and you MUSN'T TOUCH HIM." Tipsy sniffed, "We knows how to take care of our master!"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Hello Tipsy, I thought we agreed that I would wait to meet the other Houselves until Saturday." "We did Master Harry Potter! But then Tipsy and the others all felts Master get hurts and we had to see you." Harry furrowed his eyebrows, but said nothing and filed the information away for later. "Well it's good to meet you all, even if I can't see you." Suddenly an elf floated into view. "I am Darry." "Er- nice to meet you." He floated out of view and another one floated into view. "I am Hawk." "Nice to meet you." Slowly it went on for all the elves he had not yet met. "Findel, Transty, Rowd, Cor, Nullus, Sapry, Contra, Bamus, and Elfos. All ever so happy to meet him despite having to float past his view to do so. Harry wondered what the sight must look like to an outsider, quiet ridiculous he was sure.

"So, er- back to business as they say, how many did I send to the hospital?" His head of house appeared above him again, looking slightly irritated, "Twelve." Harry blinked in surprise. Twelve, over half the class sent to the hospital. "Well should I be quarantined, or taught somewhere else until I can control it enough that I don't hurt someone!?" "Exactly what I said." He heard a voice sniff somewhere in the background. "That will not be necessary, I will tutor you and you will be limited to practical application only in my presence." Harry relaxed slightly at that, "I-I suppose that'll work. Will everyone be ok? How did you get them out?" His head of house was about to answer when they were interrupted by a voice, "Nullus will feed it to Lord Potter! Nullus is Lord Potter's healer elf!" "Really? This is my infirmary and I quiet insist that I feed him the potion. There was the sound of a bottle being grabbed and two hands pulling, "Nullus is Lord Potter's elf and he will care for him!" "Absolutely not! I absolutely forbid it!" The fight continued and Harry closed his eyes and sighed, this day could not get any longer.

A few moments late there were two shouts of "HEY!" And he felt a presence above him, "Mr. Potter this is a potion of my own creation, it has all of your required healing potions and a sleeping additive. It is quiet sour but is much better than taking twelve different potions and I must insist you drink all of what I am going to give you, in one sitting preferably." Harry made his acceptance clear and he was given a straw to suck from. Sour was not quiet the right word, it was overwhelmingly sharp and sour. It tasted quite a bit like the time Dudley had poured half a bottle of curry powder down his throat while they were at a restaurant. Nevertheless he steeled himself and drank as much as he could until he found himself falling asleep and let the straw slip from his mouth. The last thing he heard was two voices reprimanding someone and the world once more faded to black.

(z_z)

Harry came to and found himself able to move much more of his body, though his legs were still paralyzed. He couldn't move them at all, but thankfully he found himself propped up into an almost proper sitting position. He looked around and he saw that his curtain was drawn and on the ground was a pile of elves sleeping. He glanced behind him and found a window, which told him it was the beginnings of morning. He sighed and closed his eyes, not really wanting sleep but more wanting to go over everything that had happened.

His first morning there and he sends twelve to the hospital. The real question here, he supposed, was why he'd had a block on his magic. He didn't particularly care, but he thought it better to think on that than on blaming himself for what he'd done. He could see two reasons for binding his magic; protecting himself and others, or not wanting him to be able to do any magic at all. He could see two reasons for binding his magic; protecting himself and others, or not wanting him to be able to do any magic at all.

The first one was tempting to assume after what had just happened. But he'd clearly had this for a long time, since Professor Snape had said that he'd been wearing it down with his accidental magic. That made him wonder if one had a limited amount of magic or if it grew as you got older or stronger or something. He decided he'd ask Professor Snape at their lesson.

The only motives he could see for the second one were jealousy or fear. The jealousy one was only plausible if one had a set amount of magic, which he supposed was possible, he really didn't know much about it. The fear one also made more sense if they had a limited amount of magic, but it was also possible that he'd simply had a lot of magic for an infant and they saw the potential for growth and feared he'd…What? Knock someone out of their position? Hurt a lot of people? He was a bit stumped there, but there was also another reason for them to possibly fear him, multiple actually. One, he somehow 'defeated' Voldemort. In actuality it had been his mother, but the uniformed could, and did, he reflected based on the books about him, assume that he had been the one to do so. That he supposed could make people fear him a lot. And if they were afraid of what he could do as an infant, they must be afraid of what he could do as an adult. Or perhaps it was because of two, he could speak Parseltongue. His book said that many people feared the language and assumed that only Dark Lords could speak it and use the magic, at least in Europe. With everyone afraid of it, if someone gained the knowledge, they might bind his magic to stop him from becoming a Dark Lord himself. If he was practically a squib he wouldn't be much of a threat.

He sighed he had so little knowledge and that really affected how much he could gather from it. He lay there for a while dozing in and out of sleep. He was half awake when he noticed the pile moving. He fell asleep for a moment more and woke with several faces staring at him, only a few inches away, then they all popped away quiet suddenly, making it sound like a firing range, waking Harry up fully. Within several minutes there were several more pops and a tray was on top of him, with a bowl of soup and a cup of juice, along with another cup that he figured was another potion. "Take all that after you're done eating, Master Potter." Harry nodded as he tried to recall the elf's name, "Thank you, Nullus." The elf nodded and stumbled away from him to sit in the corner of his small closed off area and mumble to himself. Harry wondered if the elf was one of the crazy ones. If so it was no wonder Madam Pomfrey didn't want him to take care of him.

He let the elves babble to him about their lives as he ate, most of it was about gardening and cleaning, or who did what to which part of the house. As he was finishing up the potion he heard the sound of fire whooshing, as the only we could describe it, and a woman yelp. Several elves popped up from their sitting positions and he could've sworn he saw the one he recognized as Elfos pull out some kind of shiv. After several moments Madam Pomfrey popped her head in and looked around disapprovingly, "Well, at least you're awake and fed. I see Nullus gave you the potion that's good. You're aunts here." Harry swallowed nervously, "Alright."

He heard the clacking of heals and he murmured, "Elfos, put it away." The elf glared at him but seemed to do as he said. The curtain was pulled away and he saw his aunt look around and gasp quietly, "Wh-What are they?" "They're my er- Houselves." She stared at him, "But those are the slaves Lily talked about, you have slaves?" Harry shook his head, "Uh, no they were my dad's, but now they're mine, and they're not really slaves, because they need to serve wizards or they go crazy and die." She sniffed and walked slowly around the Houselves, glaring at them as she did so. She sat in the chair next to the bed, after glaring at Tipsy until she moved.

"Now. I want you to slowly and carefully explain how and why you nearly killed my Dudders." Harry swallowed, "Well a long time ago, when I was an infant someone put a bl-" "And I don't want you to blame anyone else for it." "I'm not but it's important to the story." She was quiet so he continued, "Someone put a block on my magic which generally means that you can't use it. But all my accidental magic had somehow been wearing the block down so that when I tried to find it during class I could. I tried to make it stronger so I could make the spell for class work, but I apparently put so much magic into it that I transformed the whole classroom into needles. A lot of people went to the hospital, I only barely missed going." "Really!? Because Dudders still can't move and yet here you are sitting up and eating porridge!" One of the elves started muttering about soup and porridge, turning it into a chant of some kind, but they ignored her and just stared at each other.

"Look, I'm sorry, I was just trying to get the spell to work." "Well maybe you shouldn't! MAYBE I SHOULD PULL YOU OUT AND LOCK YOU IN YOUR CUPBOARD AND NEVER LET ANYONE GET HURT!" Harry felt like crying, it really wasn't his fault. But now he was being blamed for it and he'd be pulled out of a school that he really thought he'd enjoy and get a chance to excel at. He started to cry silently (he perfected that a long time ago) and the elves began to panic and several began to beat on his aunt, either with their fist or with various things they found. One could be seen trying to remove her chair leg. Regardless of what she was being hit with she started screeching and trying to bat them away.

"Mrs. Dursley! Could you please be quiet-oh." Madam Pomfrey appeared and saw what was happening. After a moment she put up a shield charm around his aunt, and just in time too, as one of the elves was launching themselves at her head. "Now stop that. Mrs. Dursley is just trying to take care of Harry. Now I must insist you leave." Harry calmed down enough to look at them, "Go on, I'll see you guys later." Madam Pomfrey didn't look like she approved but she nevertheless shooed them out and closed the curtain.

"I'm really sorry Aunt Petunia, I didn't mean to and it won't happen again! Professor Snape is going to teach me how to control it and I can only try spells out with him there and no one else! Please don't make me go!" She was quiet, still shocked by what had happened to her. After a few moments he said, "Please don't blame them, most of them are a little crazy, they haven't had a master for a long time and like I said that's not good for them." "Why not?" she whispered it. "I don't know, I'd have to look into it." "No boy, why haven't they had a master?" "Well, my dad was the last of the Potters, aside from me, and I guess they're inherited, so technically I was their master. But whatever protections Professor Dumbledore put on the house blocked them from me so they couldn't find me. They spent a long time looking for me, but apparently a lot of them went crazy and died without me."

His aunt looked shocked but for a different reason than he thought, "How do you know he's the one who left you with us?" "Tipsy, one of the Houselves told me he took me from my Godfather and them, it's a natural jump." She nodded and was quiet for a long time, "When did you get so smart?" Harry shrugged, "You guys told me not to but Rusé told me to, and she cared and you guys didn't so I listened to her." At that his aunt started sobbing. He had no idea what to do so he awkwardly patted her shoulder, not really sure what was making her cry.

"Harry, I need your help." Harry blinked, "What? Why? I can't do anything for Dudley and the healers-" "The healers are taking care of him, they're better than our doctors. That's not it." She took a shuddering breath and began to quietly speak again, "I-I can't afford anything. Vernon left me and filed papers. He's taking the house and he doesn't want either one of you. I got some child support, but it's not even enough for rent anywhere. I-I'm homeless. We're homeless, we don't have anywhere to go." And with that she started sobbing again.

Harry swallowed deeply, trying to figure out what to do. He wasn't technically homeless, he had three of them. With the way she'd treated him he didn't really want to open his homes to her but he also couldn't really be without an adult, he supposed anyways.

He sighed heavily, "Can you get Madam Pomfrey to bring in Tipsy again-" There was the gunshot sound again and Tipsy was suddenly there. His aunt shrieked, and upon seeing the houself, promptly protected herself from it as best she could. "Well that's convenient. Calm down Aunt Petunia, she's not going to hurt you, is she?" He looked at her meaningfully and she mumbled an agreement. "Can you go see Griphook at Gringotts and see if he's willing to do a quick consultation at the nearest convenience? We'll pay double, triple if it's immediately or within two hours, it has to be here, and if not within the next two hours we're available at any time."

His aunt was staring at him, "What're you doing?" "Listen, we're not homeless, or at least I'm not. My dad was really rich and I have three properties, and I could probably buy another one if I wanted to. But this is not for free. If I let you live in one of these properties things have to change. I'm not saying don't punish me when I misbehave, I'm saying don't punish me when I do better than Dudley in school, because I've never cheated. I'm also saying that all chores have to be equal among us all. And I'm saying that I won't let you hit me anymore. You hit me once. Or let Dudley hit me. And I will have the elves forcibly remove you. And I don't mean beat you up, they can Apparate and take you with them to where ever I want." He didn't know that it was strictly true, but there was side along Apparation for wizards, so he didn't see why there couldn't be for elves as well. "And muggles don't get any representation in wizarding law, so I wouldn't get in trouble, especially if you just went missing." That, he was fairly certain, was true, from what he'd read. And his aunt believed him, if the way she was shaking was any indication.

After a moment she nodded, "So why do you want to have this consultation?" He looked as condescending as he could, "One of the houses hasn't been in use since I've been with you, one of them since not long after I was born, and one hasn't been used for nearly a century. But, Gringotts has their hands in nearly every pot, so to speak, so it's entirely plausible that they've been doing any upkeep necessary and simply docking my account." "They can't do that." She sniffed indignantly, he narrowed his eyes, "I do believe they can, and you had better hope they can, because otherwise you'll be in a hotel until the repairs and cleaning are done." She blinked at him then sighed and looked down at her hands.

After several more minutes of quiet she murmured, "Thank you for this Harry." Instead of responding he choose to make another rule, "You also have to get a job, I don't care what it is, but you can't just laze around at my expense. Eventually I want you to pay me back." She nodded, "Of course." "You remind me a lot of him." Harry blinked, "Who? My dad? Uncle?" She chuckled ruefully, "Heavens no, you're nothing like Vernon. And your father, he was a prankster from what I knew. No I was talking about Lily's friend, Severus." Harry's eyes widened, his mom and his head of house had been friends? His aunt didn't seem to notice, "Especially since you found out you were a wizard. Before you were always quiet and shy, hiding behind that greasy hair of yours, just like him. But when magic was mentioned, oh man he lit up, he could talk about it for hours. And heaven knows he was the best there was at everything he did." She rolled her eyes, but was smiling slightly. Lily and I used to spend hours talking with him, until she got in and I didn't."

Harry almost couldn't believe what was happening, for the first time ever his aunt was talking about not just his mom, but also her friends, and magic! His head was spinning as there was a loud crack and his aunt made an eep sound. Harry opened his recently closed eyes and saw Griphook standing next to Tipsy looking, well a bit tipsy. "Hello Griphook. How are you? Would you like to have something to drink?" Griphook shook his head and grunted, "I'm alright." Harry smiled, "Glad to hear it, thank you very much for coming at suck short notice. This is my Aunt Petunia Dursley." "Hello, it's actually Petunia Evans" she squeaked. He grunted a hello at her, then stared at Harry. "These consultations don't come cheap, and to offer triple the regular price, well many would call it ludicrous." "I'm sure many would, but as it stands I can afford it, and with me having no true standing at Gringotts currently… well you're always repaid for kindness are you not?"

Griphook contemplated this, "I suppose the sentiment stands." Harry's smile broadened, "Right well, my cousin, aunt, and I have recently lost our homes." Griphook rolled on his feet, glancing at Harry's aunt, "But you are not homeless Harry, are you?" Harry shook his head, "No, I am not, and as such I have decided to extend a helping hand to my family and allow them into my home. Which brings about the question, which home is most fit?" Griphook nodded, understanding, and begin to flick through various manila folders in a briefcase that Harry was only now noticing before pulling one out.

"Of the three properties, the one in Godrick's Hollow is the worst off one with extreme amounts of damage that Gringotts was not authorized to clean up." "What is the damage there?" "A third of the roof is missing, and with it various parts of the walls beneath it. In the nursery at the front of the house two out of the three walls are missing over two thirds of them, the walls remaining, along with the floors have extreme amounts of scorch marks which extend out to the hallway. Much of the damage is curse damage and so it is unclear how much of it could be repaired and what would be required to be entirely replaced. There is also a cat skeleton beneath the crib, which was initially simply a cat that refused to leave." Harry and his aunt were stunned silent. Several moments went by before she said, "Why were the repairs needed not authorized?" Griphook glared at her, "The only account holder was an infant and his only family were muggles. Neither are authorized to make decisions."

She nodded and Harry spoke up, "And the next one?" "The next one is the house in Greece. As you know the house has not been consistently lived in for the past century. The last people to stay there were a Lord James Potter and a Mrs. Lily Potter on their anniversary. They spent two months there, then left when Mrs. Lily Potter became pregnant. Before them no occupants stayed there for any longer than five months. This house is the last remaining of the various Potter vacation homes, Lord James Potter sold the rest of them to various people. I have the list here if you would like to see it." Harry shook his head, "That's alright, thank you."

The goblin continued, "Gringotts was contracted to keep the house in working order but was required to check with the head of house for any major changed needed. For the past seven years the house's walls have become infected with a magical mold called Artingington, which is noxious for any living creature, aside from doxies, to breathe in. As such Gringotts has declared the house uninhabitable."

Harry sighed heavily, "And the last one?" "The last inhabitants of the Potter Manor a Lord James Potter and a Mrs. Lily Potter. Lord James Potter lived there from his birth until 23 months before his death. Mrs. Lily Potter lived there from the time she joined the family, 34 months before her death, until 23 months before her death. Since that time the house has been under the control of the Lord James Potter's Houselves, which were of such great numbers until recent years that any goblins or surveyors who attempted to approach the house were beaten and apparated away to the Sahara Desert. Three years ago a team of fifteen wizards were able to enter the house, due to declining Houself numbers. At that time it was determined there was a severe mold infection in various parts, and although it was not to the severity of the Greece house, Gringotts was not able to remove it without approval from the Lord, as we were not able to catch it soon enough. As such we suggest no one live there until the house has been cleaned of any and all mold infections."

Harry closed his eyes and nodded. He was growing quiet tired. "Alright, I, as head of my family, Lord Harry James Potter, of the Most Ancient and Noble House Potter, authorize any and all changes and cleansing efforts of the Gringotts staff, and declare that all Houselves of mine will participate and actively assist those changes. I also decree that all houses be brought up to date in both muggle and wizards standards." Harry took a deep breath as the paperwork appeared before him and he looked at Tipsy, "Can you go grab my briefcase, I don't know where it is but it's got my stamp of approval in it." Tipsy nodded and disappeared with a pop while Harry contemplated everything. He wasn't really sure why he evoked his full title, other than it felt right. He took a deep breath and his Aunt Petunia squeaked, "Harry, you should read this! The amount of money they want…" Harry smiled at her and looked at the paper floating before him. It was indeed a lot of money, but he'd expected nothing less.

"So which house would be the fastest to make habitable and up to date?" "The Potter Mansion would very likely take between three and six months to do as you wish." Harry nodded, "My aunt will need a hotel room in the best hotel in the wizarding world." "Harry!" He waved his hand at her, "Can you set that up or do I need the Houselves to do it?" "We can arrange it, but your Houselves would be in charge of moving her things." Harry nodded feeling his eyelids droop. "Contra, Bamus, please-" The appeared with pops. "Please gather my aunt's things and take them to the hotel Griphook chooses." They accepted this and disappeared with pops. "But we didn't tell them where they are." "I'm sure they'll find it." He looked at Griphook, "Who would I go to, to arrange a vacation over the winter holidays?" "We have several wizarding and muggle vacation agencies for around the world on contract. Where are you wishing to go?" Harry smiled, "Hawaii." Griphook nodded, "We've got several. Wizarding or muggle?" Harry shrugged, "I guess both." "Very well, the best?"

Harry nodded as Tipsy popped up next to him. Harry took the briefcase, mumbled for his stamp, which flew into his hand. He halfheartedly stamped the paper before him, which then duplicated itself and disappeared. He grabbed it and shoved them both into his briefcase which he dropped onto the ground. "Thank you very much Griphook, but I'm really tired so I'm going to sleep. Tipsy, can you adjust the pillows?" She did so and within seconds he was out.

 **Guest, I just made a mistake about where she was in the sorting, but she's for sure in Gryffindor still, Harry didn't change her that much.**

 **xAmazonWarriorx Sorry about the long wait, I won't even try to make excuses. Glad you like it and I think Harry will make some friends here, though he may have a harder time after this chapter. ;)**

 **Hope you guys keep reading and reviewing!**


	3. Dragons and Flowers

**Just a quick interlude while I work on the next chapter. I know I said this was mostly going to be from Harry's point of view but I really wanted you guys to be able to see what else was going on behind the scenes. Initially I was going to post this as a separate story but I think that might get too confusing so here it is as a separate chapter. Enjoy.**

Draco woke with a start and found himself in huge amounts of pain and unable to move his lower half. He composed himself as best he could and looked around. Immediately he noticed his father sitting stiffly in the chair next to the bed he was lying in. "Hello father." "Hello Dragon." Draco internally sighed, his father was offering up no information which meant he had to ask or sit in silence. "So, what happened?"

Lucius regarded his son, "It appears one of your fellow classmates had a block on his magic which he managed to remove and, in doing so, managed to transform the entire classroom into needles. I dare say it is the only time sitting so close to the door will save your life." The implication being that he was not pleased his son had been doing so. Draco forced himself to not acknowledge the implication and responded instead with, "And who is the student?" His father cocked his head to the side, "The Mr. Potter you wrote to me about. It seems to me the answer to your question has become quite apparent." Draco nodded, so make friends with Harry then . . . But that still left- "What about the mudblood?" "I suggest you erase the word from your vocabulary if Mr. Potter is spending as much time with her as you said." Draco flinched at both his father's tone and the idea of being friendly with her, either one of them actually, but nodded. "I presume I'll be alright." "Madame Pomfrey is quite good at her job." Draco nodded again

(Q_Q)

Petunia stared at the boy who was now snoozing in his hospital bed. None of this was supposed to happen. She'd gone out of her way, paid quite a bit of money, to ensure that they'd never end up in this situation, but here they were, worse off than she had ever even believed.

"Mrs. Dursley." A cold voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked up and found herself staring at a familiar voice, "Severus?" "Indeed. I do believe that Mr. Potter has informed you that I am his head of house and that I wish to have a meeting with you." She nodded tightly, "Now seems opportune, if you don't mind Mrs. Dursley." She swallowed heavily, "It's Evans, Miss. Evans." He rose an eyebrow but simply nodded, "If you'll follow me, Miss. Evans."

She stood and followed him out of the infirmary and down several flights of stairs. As they were half way down the two elves Harry had sent off appeared with loud snaps. "You's hotel room is ready Miss. Evans." "Yes well we have a meeting, she'll call you when we're done," Severus snapped. "Contra-" "And Bamus" "Is waiting for you Miss. Evans." They continued on and finally entered the Dungeons, which were cold and dark, just the way Lily had always described them.

Finally they entered a room and Severus stalked to the chair behind the desk and gestured for her to sit in front of the desk. Petunia did so while wondering if he was any good as a teacher, he seemed too sharp around the edges. Tea appeared on the table before him and he gestured to it. He began to speak as she took a cup of it, "Now when a student steps through my rather tight doorway on the first day they are analyzed by a ward I have in place which tells me if any of them are underfed, overly bruised, etc. I then feed that information to the students' heads of houses so that they may take care of those students." Petunia stiffened and stared at him. "Mr. Potter, however, did not get the chance to do so as he rather spectacularly bungled his first class. This in mind I asked Madame Pomfrey to perform her own analysis of him after she healed him as best she could. As you no doubt saw he is nearly back to his regular condition, however Madame Pomfrey did not immediately perform her examination, as he was, in her own words, much too thin. When she was informed by his overly helpful houselves that this was how he had looked when she'd first met him the night before . . . well Madame Pomfrey was not pleased. I have her report right here." Petunia sipped her tea worriedly, trying to calm herself with it. This could not be happening. This could not be happening. There was no way.

"Let us read it shall we.

Height: Just under 4ft.

Weight: 50lbs

Previous injuries: I've (This is from Madame Pomfrey's point of view, not mine.) had significant trouble healing his legs as there appear to be several previous injuries on them. His left* arm also resisted healing and I eventually simply vanished the distorted bones and regrew them. His hands also healed distorted, despite magical guidance and so I rebroke them and have been using several spells to guide them back to their natural state. His nose and jaw also appears to have been broken many times and I have helped correct and guide future growth to proper placement. He also had a scar grow in when we regrew his skin. Attached is an image of said scar which resists any attempts to heal it. Most worrying of all are the signs of a destroyed block on his magic which appears to have been put in place haphazardly and without concern for the boy's magical growth.

Current and Future Medical Treatment: His body is slow to recover and if I did not believe it unwise for both his mental and physical health I would suggest moving him to St. Mungo's. I provided him with a near constant supply of blood thickners and blood replenishers. I also provided several potions which helped guide the regrowth of skin and muscle along with reinforcing it. I have also supplied a potion which regrew a bone which was unable to grow in properly and had to be vanished. Several spells have been put in place to help guide the growth and regrowth of skin, muscles, and bones. As of today I have stopped providing him with these potions and have replaced them with nourishment potions. It is suggested that Mr. Potter take a nourishment potion with every meal and be put on an exercise routine to help stimulate the growth and healing of muscles and magic. He should come in for regular check ups on a daily basis. It is also suggested that he not perform attempt to perform any magic until he is cleared by myself. A mind healer should also be brought in for the boy."

Petunia was shaking by the end of it and had set her nearly empty tea cup down to prevent herself from dropping it. "S-Sev-" "Now, as I'm sure you've noticed, there are many worrying statements in this, lets start at the beginning shall we? 4 feet and 50 pounds. I am not an expert in child health but that is simply unhealthy, as anyone can tell by looking at the boy." "He-he's always been a s-small boy." Severus gave a dry laugh, "Small, Miss. Evans he is severely malnourished!" She tried to think up a retort but he moved on, "Nevertheless lets continue on. Legs resistant to healing, bones in left arm so warped they had to be vanished, hands grew in distorted, nose and jaw broken several times and a magical scar on his back." He stared at her levelly while she shook like a flower in the wind. "He's clumsy," she whispered. He looked disgusted, "And lastly a block on his magic which had disastrous effects when it came undone." "I-I don't have any idea-" "Oh shut up, Evans. It is obvious what you've done here. Naturally I was concerned for his cousin after hearing of such abuse. Do you know what I'll find out when I ask St. Mungo's to do a similar examination?" Petunia stared down at her hands, fighting, and failing, to keep them from shaking.

"You're dismissed you silly woman. Call for your houselves and leave." She stared, "I-I don't-" "Just call their names." She took a shaky breath, "Contra. Bamus." There were two loud cracks, the houselves appeared and grabbed an arm each then disappeared.

(I_I)

Severus began to shake as soon as they left. He wasn't really sure what he'd expected from the meeting but whatever he'd expected he'd clearly not gotten. He stared at the paperwork before him. He was seriously questioning Albus's definition of well cared for. He took a deep breath, collecting himself, and prepared himself to leave for the ministry.

(4_4)

Tipsy was happily watching Harry eat and Harry was getting unnerved by it. "So, Tipsy. Why do you have all those bruises and burns?" Tipsy's chest puffed up in pride, "Tipsy has been punishing herself just as she has been taught." Harry's eyes widened and he set his spoon down. "Ti-" "Harry!" Harry looked around and found his snake slithering towards him out of a nearby grate. "Ruse! Where've you been!? Ssso much has happened!" "Indeed it hasss, tell me of what hass happened for you firssst." Harry happily lifted her off the ground and began to tell her while internally trying to find a way to tell Tipsy not to punish herself.

 **Sorry if the medical file doesn't sound the way an actual one does, I don't have a lot of experience with that kind of thing. Nevertheless I think I got the point across that although Ruse helped with as much as she could, she couldn't stave off the worst of it, a point that Harry would never willingly show anyone.**

 **Hope you guys liked! Let me know any comments or concerns (or mistakes I've made!) in the reviews please! I promise I'll post the next one in less time than it took me to post this one.**


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